NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE 


A  STORY  OF  INDIA 


BY  REY.   EDWIH   MacMIHH: 

JERSEY  CITY,  NEW  JERSEY 

AUTHOR   OF 

Breaker  Boy,   Eaglesmere   Trio,   Brave  Hearts    Win,   Judith   and  Glaucia, 

Ben  Amini,  Bushkill  Social,  A  mat  the  Antalekite,  A   German 

Hiro,  Rambles  in  Mineral  Fields,    The  Crystal 

Club,  From  Cave  to  Palace,  Pocket 

Manual  No.  j,  etc. 


NEW  YORK :  HUNT  &  EA  TON 
CINCINNA  77.-   CRANSTON  & .STOWE 


Copyright,  1890,  by 

HUNT    &    EATON; 

NEW  YOKK. 


FS 


DEDICATED 

TO    THE 

WOMEN'S  FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES  IN  AMERICA, 

WHOSE    RECOGNITION   OF  THE   SISTERHOOD  OF  THEIR   SEX   IN   ALL   THE  WORLD    HAS 

LED   THEM   TO   CONSECRATE   THEIR   PRAYERS,    GIFTS,   AND    LABOR  TO 

THE    SOCIAL     ELEVATION     AND     ETERNAL     SALVATION 

OF  THOSE   NOW    BOUND    BV   THE   CASTE 

Ct7STOM    OF    BRAHMANIS.M  ; 

WHOSE  WORK 

IS   A   RECOGNITION    OF   THE  CALL   OF 
THEIR  DIVINE  MASTER 

TO   GO   FORTH,    AS   DID    MARY,    AND    ANNOUNCE   THE   GLAD   TIDINGS   OF   A    RISEN 

LORD,   AND  TO   CARRY   TO   THE   CITIES   OF    HEATHENISM,    AS   DID 

PHCEBE   THE   EPISTLE   TO    ROME,    THE   TRIUMPHANT 

DOCTRINES   OF   SALVATION. 


PREFACE. 


Tins  story  has  been  written  to  aid  the  Woman's 
Foreign  Missionary  Societies  in  arousing  the  mem- 
bers of  our  churches  to  a  greater  zeal  in  their  special 
work.  The  history  given  seemed  necessary  as  a  foun- 
dation for  understanding  why  things  are  as  they  are 
in  India.  The  history,  customs,  descriptions,  etc.,  are 
prepared  with  great  care  to  truly  represent  the  state 
of  the  case. 

It  is  with  the  hope  that  we  may  have  more  sympa- 
thy for  our  earnest,  struggling  missionaries  that  this 
book  is  sent  forth.  They  are  noble,  cultured  men 
and  women  of  God,  and  we  too  often  forget  how 
much  their  success  is  laid  upon  our  shoulders  by  the 
Lord  of  all. 

While  writing  this  story  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
entertaining  Ramabai  at  my  house,  arid  her  eyes 
sparkled  with  appreciation  of  my  effort  as  I  told  her 
of  my  purpose.  And  now  I  send  it  forth  with  the 
fond  hope  that  it  may  do  some  good  by  arousing  in 
many  souls  enthusiasm  for  zenana  missions. 

EDWIN  McMiNN. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGK 
CA..LED  TO  BE  A  MISSIONARY 11 


CHAPTER  II. 
OUTWARD  BOUND 21 

CHAPTER   III. 
THE  ORIGIN  OF  CASTE. 30 

CHAPTER  IV. 
INDIA'S  RECORD  OP  BLOOD 41 

CHAPTER   V. 
BOMBAY 50 

CHAPTER  VI. 
THE  XAUTCHNEE 00 

CHAPTER   VII. 
THE  XAUTCHNEE'S  HOME 70 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
THE  MOTHER'S  SORROW SO 

CHAPTER  IX. 
THE  MOST  BEAUTIFUL  BUILDING  IN  THE  WORLD 91 


8  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 
CHAPTER   X. 

KlSMUT 101 

CHAPTER  XL 
MORGAN  SHOOTS  THE  TIGER 112 

CHAPTER  XII. 
WHAT  ELEPHANTS  CAN  Jbo 121 

CHAPTER    XIII. 
LIGHT  IN  THE  JUNGLE 132 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
FINDING  THE  TRAIL 143 

•  CHAPTER  XV. 
JUNGLE  EXPERIENCES 1 52 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
FOES  IN  AGRA • 163 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
THE  SKIES  BRIGHTEN 173 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
THE  HOLT  CITY  OP  THE  HINDUS 182 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
DENNIS  IN  TROUBLE 194 

CHAPTER  XX. 
ZENANA  WORK  OPENED 20G 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
THE  MISSIONARY'S  REST 215 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
PERILS  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  . .  224 


COXTEA'TS.  9 

PAGE 
CHAPTER   XXIII. 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  INDIA 242 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 
DASEE 251 

CHAPTER   XXV. 
VICTORY  IN  DEATH 259 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
A  HINDU'S  LOVE 267 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
THE  LOST  FOUND 275 

CHAPTER  XXVin. 
CHANGING  SCENES.  . ,  283 


]\|EMORAMA  THE  J^AUTCHNEE, 


CHAPTER  I. 

CALLED  TO  BE  A  MISSIONARY. 

SYLVIA,  one  of  the  prettiest  towns  in  the  Keystone 
State,  was  said  to  contain,  in  proportion  to  its  popu- 
lation, a  larger  number  of  attractive  maidens  than  any 
other  town  in  the  State. 

There  seemed  to  be  a  limited  supply  of  young  men, 
and  this  naturally  induced  the  young  ladies  to  be 
more  gracious  and  entertaining  than  they  might  have 
been  had  the  inequality  been  reversed.  This  condi- 
tion of  affairs  also  had  the  tendency  to  encourage  the 
young  men  to  magnify  their  own  importance.  Some 
of  them  were  vain  enough  to  think  that  one  man  was 
as  good  as  four  women,  which  is  true  Mohammedan 
doctrine.  This  was  too  much  for  the  maidens  to  en- 
dure. They  vehemently  asserted  their  individual 
equality,  and  proved  it  by  their  broader  culture  and 
greater  skill.  They  ranked  higher  in  their  classes  at 
school,  were  better  clerks  in  the  stores,  more  efficient 
as  stenographers  and  typewriters,  and  more  reliable  in 
the  work  of  the  Church.  In  a  small  cottage  in  this 


12  ]S'EMOKAMA  THE  ^S AUTCIINEE. 

village  lived  the  widow  Thompson  and  her  three 
daughters.  Her  life  seemed  to  have  more  than  its 
share  of  trials,  but,  from  her -sunny  face  and  bright 
home,  one  would  have  thought  she  was  a  stranger  to 
care  and  sadness. 

Many  years  previous  her  husband  died,  leaving  her 
without  property  and  with  three  little  daughters  to 
support.  The  widow  knew  how  to  ply  her  needle, 
and  she  went  diligently  to  work.  The  years  passed 
on  ;  the  home  was  preserved,  the  children  clothed,  fed, 
and  educated.  When  the  streaks  of  silver  lighted 
upon  the  handsome  head  of  the  mother  the  daughters 
took  up  the  burdens,  and  bore  them  for  her.  One 
was  a  school-teacher,  one  a  stenographer,  and  the  re- 
maining one — having  just  returned  from  a  ladies'  col- 
lege with  the  honors  of  her  class — was  ready  to  go 
whither  the  Lord  should  lead  her. 

Jennie  Thompson  was  one  of  the  most  handsome 
and  winning  of  her  sex.  With  a  mind  of  broad  cult- 
ure, a  voice  of  exquisite  sweetness,  a  form  of  perfect 
symmetry,  and  movements  of  polished  grace  she  at- 
tracted every  one  ;  but,  by  the  sympathy  of  her  heart 
and  the  consecration  of  her  soul  to  God,  she  held  the 
most  powerful  sway  over  her  adorers. 

The  pastor  of  the  church  was  a  frequent  visitor  at 
this  delightful  home,  for  here  he  found  sympathy  with 
his  progressive  plans,  and  ardent  co-operation  in  car- 
rying them  forward.  Here  he  beheld  the  grace  of 
womanhood  and  felt  the  exalting  influence  of  noble 


CALLED  TO  BE  A  MISSIONARY.  13 

lives.  In  the  work  of  the  church  a  Woman's  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  had  been  organized.  It  was  yet 
in  its  infancy,  but  every  month  the  zeal  of  its  mem- 
bers was  stirred  by  fresh  news  from  the  foreign  field. 
The  missionary  secretary  in  charge  of  the  mission 
work  of  the  State  had  been  a  missionary  in  Burmah, 
but  was  compelled  by  broken  health  to  return  home. 
His  eloquent  appeals  for  missions  awakened  the  hearts 
of  his  own  people,  and  thus  he  accomplished  the  work 
to  which  he  believed  God  had  called  him.  In  seeking 
to  aid  this  band  of  noble  workers,  and  to  incite  them 
to  greater  zeal,  he  suggested  that  they  invite  Ramabai 
to  lecture  for  them. 

The  pastor  called  at  the  widow's  cottage  to  see  what 
she  thought  about  it.  When  he  had  read  the  letter 
from  the  secretary  Jennie  asked,  as  she  continued  the 
fancy  knitting  she  was  engaged  in,  "  Who  is 
Ramabai  ? " 

The  pastor  responded  :  "  I  can  very  fully  answer 
you,  Jennie,  for  I  have  just  read  the  story  of  her  life 
in  a  book  called  The  High  Caste  Hindu  Woman, 
which  Ramabai  has  published. 

"  In  the  Mangalore  district  of  western  India  was 
born  Ananta  Shastri,  of  high  caste  parentage.  When 
ten  years  of  age  he  was  married,  and  his  child-bride 
was  brought  to  his  mother's  house  and  committed  to 
her  keeping  to  learn  the  duties  of  a  high  caste  Hindu's 
wife.  Ananta  was  possessed  with  a  desire  for  knowl- 
edge, and,  consequently,  left  his  home  to  obtain 


14  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

instruction  from  a  learned  pundit  in  Poona.  This 
eminent  Brahman  was  employed  by  the  reigning 
peshwa  to  visit  his  palace  at  stated  times  and  give  les- 
sons in  Sanskrit  to  his  favorite  wife.  Ananta,  being 
only  a  boy,  was  given  the  privilege  of  accompanying 
his  teacher  to  the  palace,  and  here  he  occasionally 
heard  the  noble  lady  reciting  Sanskrit  poems.  He 
was  filled  with  wonder  that  a  woman  should  be  so 
learned ;  his  admiration  was  awakened,  and  he  re- 
solved to  teach  his  wife,  that  she  also  might  possess 
the  graces  of  learning.  "With  a  finished  education  at 
the  age  of  twenty-three,  he  returned  to  his  home  and 
began  instructing  his  wife,  but  she  had  no  desire  to 
be  instructed.  His  mother  and  all  the  elders  of  the 
family  objected  to  such  an  unusual  procedure,  and  he 
was  compelled  to  relinquish  his  project. 

"  In  a  few  years  his  wife  died  and  he  went  on  a 
pilgrimage. 

"  One  morning  a  man  on  a  religious  pilgrimage 
with  his  wife  and  two  daughters  was  resting  in  a  vil- 
lage on  the  banks  of  the  sacred  river  Goclavari. 
While  bathing  in  the  river  he  noticed  a  fine-looking 
man  with  the  same  caste  tokens  also  bathing  there. 
After  their  ablutions  and  morning  prayers  he  entered 
into  conversation  with  the  stranger.  On  learning  his 
caste  and  clan  and  dwelling-place,  and  that  he  was  a 
widower,  he  offered  to  him  for  a  wife  his  little  nine- 
year-old  daughter. 

"  The  stranger  accepted  the  offer.     The  terms  of 


A    BRAHMAN. 


CALLED  TO  BE  A  MISSIONARY.  15 

the  marriage  were  agreed  upon,  and  the  next  day  the 
marriage  was  concluded.  The  little  girl  was  placed 
in  the  possession  of  the  stranger,  who  took  her  to  his 
own  home,  nine  hundred  miles  away.  The  parents 
now  proceeded  on  their  pilgrimage  with  light  hearts, 
for  they  thought  they  had  done  their  duty  to  their 
child.  The  man  who  married  the  little  girl  was 
Ananta,  and  these  two  became  the  parents  of  Ramahai. 

"  Arriving  at  his  home,  Ananta  placed  the  little 
bride  in  the  hands  of  his  mother  to  be  instructed  in 
wifely  duties,  and  at  the  same  time  he  began  to  teach 
her  Sanskrit.  But  the  elders  of  the  family  again 
objected.  Ananta  determined  not  to  be  hindered,  so 
he  took  his  child-bride  away  from  home  and  the  fer- 
tile valley  in  which  he  had  lived,  and  journeyed  into 
the  forest  of  Gnngamul,  an  extensive  jungle  on  a 
remote  plateau  of  the  western  Ghauts. 

"  The  first  night  spent  in  the  jungle  they  were 
without  shelter.  The  little  bride,  wrapped  tight  in 
her  cotton  quilt,  lay  upon  the  ground  while  Ananta 
kept  watch  over  her.  To  add  to  the  terror  of  the 
darkness,  all  night  long  the  cries  of  a  tiger  were  heard 
as  it  roamed  about  a  ravine  near  by. 

"  The  next  day  a  rude  dwelling  was  constructed, 
preparations  for  a  food  supply  were  begun,  and  their 
solitary  life  was  entered  upon.  The  wild  animals  of 
the  jungle  were  all  about  them,  terrifying  the  child 
with  their  wild  roaring  and  crying,  but  the  lessons 
went  on  day  by  day. 


16  '  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

"  As  she  grew  in  years  slie  became  wise  in  the 
sacred  language  of  her  people. 

"  In  a  few  years  children  were  born  to  them.  The 
knowledge  of  this  remote  dwelling-place  of  the 
learned  Brahman  soon  reached  the  people  in  the  val- 
leys and  cities  below  the  mountain,  and  it  became  the 
object  of  pious  pilgrimages,  and  multitudes  of  young 
men  flocked  to  Ananta  asking  to  become  his  students. 
Ananta  received  them  with  true  hospitality  until  his 
patrimony  was  exhausted ;  then,  aged,  poor,  and 
blind,  he  left  his  forest  home,  and,  with  his  family, 
became  pilgrims,  going  from  one  sacred  locality  to 
another.  At  the  time  they  gave  up  their  home  Ram- 
abai  was  nine  years  of  age.  During  their  pilgrim 
life  her  studies  were  diligently  pursued.  When  she 
was  sixteen  years  of  age  her  parents  died.  She  con- 
tinued her  pilgrimages  with  her  brother,  and  lectured 
on  female  education. 

"  After  a  while  her  brother  died,  but  she  continued 
her  work.  In  a  few  months  after  that  she  married  a 
Bengali  gentleman,  but  in  less  than  two  years  he  died. 
She  then  resumed  her  lecturing,  and,  leaving  her  own 
country,  visited  England,  and  afterward  came  to 
America  to  raise  money  to  establish  such  schools  as 
would  enable  her  to  introduce  female  education  in 
India." 

When  the  pastor  finished  his  narrative  the  ladies, 
with  one  voice,  said,  "  O  yes ;  by  all  means,  let  us 
have  Ramabai  address  us." 


CALLED  TO  UK  A  MISSIONARY.  17 

The  .announcement  of  so  distinguished  a  speaker 
was  sufficient  to  crowd  the  meeting-house  long  before 
the  appointed  hour.  In  that  same  place,  years  before, 
while  the  land  was  bleeding  under  the  strokes  of  civil 
war,  Anna  Dickinson's  eloquent  appeal  had  stirred  the 
hearts  of  the  older  people.  Recently  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  younger  folks  had  been  awakened  by  the  thrill- 
ing words  of  Frances  E.  Willard  pleading  the  cause 
of  temperance.  With  no  less  degree  of  interest  they 
now  gazed  upon  the  sweet  face  of  the  olive-hued 
woman  who  dared  to  stand  opposed  to  the  prejudices 
of  millions  of  her  own  people,  and  plead  with  their 
American  sisters  to  labor  for  their  liberation  from  the 
chains  of  ignorance.  Ramabai  was  profoundly  touched 
by  the  responsive  sympathy  on  the  faces  of  her  hear- 
ers, and  with  all  the  eloquence  of  her  soul  told  the 
story  iof  the  wrongs  under  which  millions  of  women 
in  India  are  to-day  suffering.  Jennie  Thompson  was 
deeply  affected  by  the  plea  of  the  eloquent  speaker. 
She  could  not  restrain  the  tears  that  sought  to  flow 
down  her  cheeks.  And  when  Ramabai  appealed  for 
helpers  she  felt  the  inexpressible  thrill  of  a  divine  call 
to  this  field  as  her  life-work. 

When  the  flash  of  light  from  God's  throne  fell  upon 
her  she  forgot  the  place  where  she  was,  the  great  au- 
dience about  her,  the  exercises  following  the  lecture, 
and  only  thought  of  the  millions  of  India's  hosts  pass- 
ing before  her. 

Ramabai  had  sriid,   "In  India  there  are  669,100 
2 


18  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

widows,  under  twenty  years  of  age,  doomed  for  life 
to  seclusion  and  suffering.  Of  these  79,000  are  un- 
der nine  years  of  age,  207.400  are  between  the  ages 
of  ten  and  fourteen,  382,700  are  between  the  ages  of 
fifteen  and  nineteen  ;  and  of  all  ages  and  castes  there 
are  in  India  20,930,600  widows — an  army  of  suffering 
ones  appealing  to  the  hearts  of  the  women  of  happy 
America." 

Jennie  was  awakened  from  her  reverie  by  the  peo- 
ple rising  to  depart.  She  hastened  to  her  home,  and, 
going  to  her  room,  knelt  at  the  spot  sacred  to  her  de- 
votions and  poured  out  her  soul  in  consecration  to  her 
Saviour.  All  night  long  she  continued  in  prayer,  and, 
when  morning  came,  with  calm  mind  and  serious 
countenance  announced  to  her  family  her  acceptance 
of  the  call  to  go  and  teach  the  truth  of  Christ  to  the 
daughters  of  India.  With  tears  and  prayers,  her 
mother  gave  her  consent,  and  the  work  of  preparation 
began. 

In  a  few  weeks  Jennie  entered  the  Women's  Medi- 
cal College  in  Philadelphia,  where  the  noble  Anan- 
dibai  Joshee,  the  first  Hindu  woman  that  in  any 
country  ever  received  the  degree  of  doctor  of  medi- 
cine, had  been  educated.  Under  influences  in  thor- 
ough sympathy  with  her  purpose  Jennie  studied  med- 
icine and  received  lessons  in  Sanskrit.  In  due  time 
she  was  graduated,  then  returned  to  her  home  to  spend 
a  fe\v  weeks  before  leaving  it  forever. 

O 

That  last  Sabbath  at  home  was  very  precious  to  her 


CALLED  TO  BE  A  MISSIONARY.  19 

soul.  It  was  the  church's  communion  season,  and 
after  the  observance  of  the  ordinance  the  pastor,  in 
touching  words,  somewhat  hindered  by  flowing  tears, 
committed  her  as  a  precious  lamb  of  the  flock  to  the 
tender  mercies  of  the  heavenly  Shepherd.  The  peo- 
ple gathered  about  her  to  speak  their  farewells,  each 
one  having  a  special  word  of  endearment  to  express. 
From  old  and  young  came  the  same  tribute  of  love 
to  her  and  admiration  of  the  noble  spirit  that  enabled 
her  to  make  this  sacrifice.  How  great  it  was  they 
could  all  infer  as  they  recalled  Ramabai's  words  con- 
cerning the  ignorance  and  prejudice  and  caste  rules  of 
the  women  of  India.  The  life  of  a  missionary  would 
be  a  very  lonely  life.  Only  a  strong  dependence  upon 
God  could  have  enabled  the  widow  Thompson  thus  to 
give  her  daughter  to  missions.  But  if  God  gave  his 
Son  to  die  for  mankind  should  not  she  sacrifice  her 
natural  spirit  and  give  her  child  to  save  souls  from 
eternal  death  ?  Jennie  was  a  gift  laid  upon  God's 
altar  just  as  much  as  was  Isaac  when  laid  upon  the 
altar  by  Abraham,  and  God  gave  the  widow  peace  in 
making  the  sacrifice. 

At  length  the  last  farewells  were  spoken,  and  Jen- 
nie Thompson,  accompanied  by  her  pastor,  left  Sylvia, 
and  in  a  few  hours  arrived  in  New  York.  Here  she 
entered  the  great  steam-ship  Etruria,  bound  for  En- 
gland, and  in  a  few  hours  the  vessel  was  plowing  the 
waves  of  the  sea.  Before  retiring  Jennie  went  on 
deck,  and  in  the  distance  saw  the  electric  lights  of 


20  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Asbury  Park  and  Ocean  Grove.  Taking  one  last, 
lingering  look  at  them,  she  went  to  her  berth.  "When 
morning  carne  the  vessel  was  rocking  on  the  waves 
of  the  Gulf  Stream  a  hundred  miles  from  the  shore. 
The  week  on  the  ocean  rapidly  passed  away,  for  the 
passengers  were  her  own  countrymen,  and  their  socia- 
bility kept  lonesomeness  away.  At  Liverpool  an- 
other vessel  was  taken  for  Alexandria,  upon  which 
she  found  as  fellow  voyagers  people  of  other  climes 
than  her  own,  whose  faces,  manners,  and  language 
were  strange  and  unattractive. 


OUTWAKD 


CHAPTER  II. 

OUTWARD    BOUND. 

JENNIE  realized  how  thoroughly  she  was  separated 
from  her  native  land  when  the  vessel  passed  be- 
tween the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  and  plowed  the  waves 
of  the  Mediterranean.  An  ocean  was  between  her  and 
home. 

Her  heart  grew  faint  as  they  neared  Egypt,  for 
here  she  was  to  leave  the  vessel  at  Alexandria,  travel 
overland  to  Ismailia.  and  embark  in  another  vessel  to 
bear  her  to  India. 

Even  the  sight  of  pyramids,  obelisks,  sphynxes,  and 
the  peculiar  features  of  Egyptian  life  failed  to  restore 
her  courage.  A  great,  wave  of  homesickness  rushed 
overwhelmingly  upon  her. 

At  Ismailia  she  boarded  the  large  and  elegant 
steamer  Surat,  a  vessel  of  3,142  tons'  burden,  with 
state-rooms  for  a  hundred  and  thirty  first-class  passen- 
gers, and  a  huge  crowd  of  sailors,  servants,  and  steer- 
age passengers,  resembling  a  small  army.  As  she 
passed  up  the  gang-plank  she  observed  a  number  of 
Americans  on  the  deck,  and  instantly  her  homesick- 
ness vanished.  Like  a  streak  of  sunshine  suddenly 
released  from  an  intervening  cloud  the  smiles  of 
courage  flashed  upon  her  countenance,  and  she  was 


22  XKMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

again  filled  with  hope.  When  all  was  ready  the 
great  lines  were  cast  off,  the  engines  began  their 
working,  the  huge  vessel  swung  out  into  the  channel, 
and  then,  at  the  rate  of  thirteen  knots  an  hour,  pur- 
sued the  Avay  to  India. 

As  they  advanced  down  the  Red  Sea  the  heat  be- 
came so  intense,  particularly  when  the  breeze  was 
blowing  in  the  same  direction  the  vessel  was  going, 
that  orders  would  be  occasionally  given  to  reverse 
the  engines,  and  make  a  short  run  against  the  wind 
so  as  to  relieve  the  ship's  load  of  the  exhaustion 
caused  by  the  dead  heat  of  the  tropics. 

The  passengers,  clad  in  thinnest  and  softest  clothing, 
reclined  in  easy-chairs  under  broad  awnings  on  the 
quarter-deck.  Every  device  to  cause  the  air  to  be  in 
motion  about  them  was  adopted,  and,  as  the  evening 
hours  advanced,  and  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun 
abated,  the  passengers  in  groups  sought  to  relieve 
the  ennui  of  the  journey  by  games,  music,  and  con- 
versation. 

Sociability  was  one  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
travelers,  and  naturally  the  various  nationalities  drew 
closely  to  their  own  people.  Jennie  was  delighted  to 
find  two  American  gentlemen  among  the  passengers, 
and  they,  in  turn,  were  equally  pleased  with  the  dis- 
covery that  the  lady  who  tripped  up  the  plank  at 
Ismailia  was  their  own  countrywoman.  During  the  re- 
mainder of  the  voyage  these  gentlemen  vied  with 
each  other,  in  all  the  graces  of  politeness  and  attention, 


OrrwAun  P>ouxn.  23 

to  make  the  time  pass  comfortably  and  happily  to 
their  fair  companion.  The  group  attracted  much  at- 
tention from  the  other  passengers,  who  observed  that 
its  uniqueness  consisted  in  its  thorough  Americanism. 

The  gentlemen  were  about  the  same  in  age  and  in 
size.  In  some  respects  they  might  have  passed  for 
brothers,  for  their  general  appearance  and  similarity 
in  disposition  were  manifest.  To  have  selected  one  in 
preference  to  the  other  would  have  called  for  a  closer 
examination  of  their  characters  than  a  casual  glance 
would  have  given. 

The  one  most  attractive,  by  a  careless,  happy,  brill- 
iant manner  of  speech  and  action,  was  Edward 
Morgan,  the  son  of  a  New  York  millionaire. 

lie  had  recently  completed  his  university  course, 
and  was  now  on  a  tour  of  pleasure  preliminary  to 
settling  down  to  a  life  of  toil  in  his  father's  counting- 
house.  He  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  lecture 
halls,  on  the  ball  ground,  and  in  the  boat  race. 
He  was  a  typical  educated  American,  with  mind  and 
muscle  equally  trained,  and  was  looking  forward  to 
some  vigorous  tiger  hunting  in  the  vast  jungles -of 
India  as  a  sport  fitting  to  his  physical  capacity. 

He  had  paid  a  great  deal  more  attention  to  philos- 
phy  than  to  religion,  and  was  quite  familiar  with  the 
latest  works  on  theosophy  and  esoteric  Buddhism. 
Hence,  while  familiar,  as  any  ordinary  church-goer 
would  be,  with  his  home  religion,  the  peculiar  tran- 
scendentalism of  a  foreign  creed  had  attracted  him 


24-  xKMOUAMA    TIIK         AUTCllXKE. 

to  such  a  decree  that  even  the  filthiest  fakirs  of  In- 
dia would  be  of  great  interest  to  him.  Like  many  of 
his  class,  at  home  he  had  attended  chnrch  as  a  matter 
of  form.  When  the  preacher  uttered  glittering 
flights  of  fancy,  or  speculated  on  abstruse  questions, 
he  was  interested,  but  when  the  sober  realities  of  life 
and  death,  of  obligation  and  judgment,  were  broached, 
he  turned  his  thoughts  to  more  pleasant  themes. 

He  was  a  thorough  gentleman,  and  never  polluted 
his  lips  with  words  of  vulgarity  or  blasphemy,  and 
above  all  things  honored  truth  and  despised  a  lie.  He 
was  the  best  specimen  of  a  cultured  irreligious  man 
Miss  Thompson  had  ever  met.  He  was  accustomed 
to  wine-drinking,  theater-going,  dancing,  card-playing, 
and  all  the  pleasures  of  high-toned  society,  and  from 
every  form  of  refined  pleasure  drew  largely  to  make 
life  a  success.  He  felt  strong  contempt  for  the  man 
with  so  little  self-control  or  will-power  as  to  be 
overcome  by  indulgence  in  any  form  of  pleasure. 
His  own  life  had  been  so  well  ordered  that  he  had 
never  once  lost  his  power  of  preserving  his  equipoise. 
From  this  superiority  to  many  of  his  fellows  had 
sprung  a  spirit  of  pride,  which  made  him  more  at- 
tractive to  the  ladies  than  he  would  have  been  with 
greater  humility.  His  fellow  American  voyager,  with 
whom  he  had  become  acquainted  on  this  vessel,  was  the 
Hev.  Paul  Stanhope,  a  man  in  every  way  his  equal. 

Paul  Stanhope  was  of  Puritan  ancestry.  For  gen- 
erations the  family  had  prided  itself  on  its  purity  and 


OUTWARD  BOUND.  25 

zeal  for  God  ;  how  natural,  therefore,  that  the  favor- 
ite son  should  consecrate  his  life  to  the  service  of 
leading  men  to  salvation.  His  education  had  been 
thorough  in  every  particular.  In  college,  university, 
and  theological  seminary  he  had  given  proof  of  his 
superior  mental  endowment.  And  frequently  upon 
the  rostrum  he  had  shown  the  possession  of  brilliant 
oratorical  powers.  In  any  profession  he  might  choose 
to  devote  his  life  he  could  win  honors  and  emolu- 
ments. With  strong  will-power,  he  deliberately 
turned  from  the  pleasures  of  society,  and  was  now  on 
his  way  to  Benares,  the  sacred  city  of  the  Hindus,  to 
devote  his  life  to  humble  missionary  work.  Jennie 
Thompson  keenly  felt  the  spell  of  his  consecrated  en- 
thusiasm, and  in  the  society  of  these  brilliant  men 
grew  in  her  views  of  the  sacredness  of  the  talents  in- 
trusted to  man. 

Morgan,  separated  from  his  usual  companions  and 
brought  into  such  close  relations  with  these  missiona- 
ries, was  profoundly  impressed  with  the  sterling  spir- 
itual vigor  of  their  lives.  He  discovered  in  them 
mental  powers  equal  to  his  own,  while  in  lofty  pur- 
pose they  were  vastly  his  superiors.  For  the  first 
time  in  his  life  he  felt  something  lacking  in  his  own 
manhood.  He  saw  he  was  living  on  a  lower  plane  of 
life  than  the  one  upon  which  they  were  living. 

One  day  he  made  the  discovery  that  Paul  Stanhope 
was  interested  in  their  lady  companion  to  more  than 
an  ordinary  degree,  and  at  the  same  time  observed 


26  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

that  this  discovery  troubled  him.  Why  should  it? 
As  he  meditated  upon  this  question,  searching  the 
depths  of  his  heart,  lie  felt  that  a  love  for  the  fair 
maiden  had  touched  him  also.  He  paced  the  deck  for 
hours  as  the  night  passed,  arguing  with  conscience 
what  course  he  should  pursue.  Now  he  felt  his  weak- 
ness as  never  before,  and  the  nobility  of  a  life  conse- 
crated to  Christ  flashed  upon  him  with  such  splendor 
as  to  cause  every  form  of  pleasure  to  sink  into  the 
surrounding  darkness.  At  length  lie  conquered  his 
own  soul  and  determined  that,  if  Paul  Stanhope  loved 
the  maiden  and  the  maiden  returned  that  love,  he 
would  not  in  any  way  put  %  stumbling-block  in  their 
path.  They  were  consecrated  to  do  Christ's  work. 
They  could  do  it  better  together  than  apart.  He  had 
no  such  motive;  he  sought  only  personal  pleasure, 
and  he  could  not  ask  this  maiden  to  lower  herself  by 
stepping  down  to  liis  plane.  Therefore,  with  true 
manly  courage,  he  fully  gave  her  to  his  rival. 

There  were  a  number  of  English  officers  on  the  ves- 
sel returning  to  their  stations  in  India,  having  enjoyed 
a  furlough  of  a  few  months  in  their  native  land.  As 
they  sat  on  the  quarter-deck  in  a  group,  they  helped 
the  time  to  pass  rapidly  by  recounting  their  various 
adventures  in  India,  the  land  of  promise,  financially 

and  officially,  to  them.  They  seemed  to  be  a  merry 
group,  and  the  dusky  coolie  servants  attending  them 
were  kept  busy  bringing  from  the  refrigerator  bottles 
of  claret  and  champagne.  As  they  became  noisy, 


OUTWARD  BOUND.  27 

uttering  their  jests  in  loud  voice  and  singing  fragments 
of  camp  songs,  one  of  them,  evidently  ashamed  of  his 
companions,  withdrew  from  them,  and,  seeing  the 
Americans  sitting  by  the  port  railing,  came  and  sat 
with  them.  Captain  James  Grey  was  a  man  past 
middle  age.  His  frame  was  stout  and  compact,  his 
features  regular  hut  browned  by  continued  exposure, 
and  his  hair  and  whiskers  were  cut  in  prevalent  military 
style.  His  keen  eyes  flashed  evidences  of  unusual  in- 
tellectuality across  his  still  handsome  countenance. 

In  India  he  had  won  his  first  spurs  as  a  soldier  in 
the  famous  Sepoy  rebellion.  Since  then  he  had  been 
with  Gordon  in  China,  and  latterly  in  Egypt.  From 
Khartoum  he  had  escaped,  and  had  been  allowed  a 
period  of  rest  in  England.  Now  he  was  returning 
to  India  to  take -command  of  one  of  the  prominent 
mountain  fortresses.  He  was  a  man  with  a  history, 
and  was  interesting  to  all  who  came  into  his  presence. 

As  he  came  up  to  the  Americans  he  pleasantly  re- 
marked :  "  Only  a  day  or  two  and  we  will  be  in  India  ; 
the  most  wonderful  land  under  the  snn.  Did  you 
know,  Miss  Thompson,  that  some  people  think  that 
the  Garden  of  Eden  was  located  just  south  of  India, 
on  an  island  named  Lamuria ;  an  island  which,  like 
the  wonderful  Atlantis  of  the  Atlantic,  has  sunk  be- 
neath the  ocean  ? " 

"I  did  not  know  that,"  she  replied,  "but  I  have 
heard  that,  if  Eden  was  as  beautiful  as  Ceylon,  our 
first  parents  deserved  all  the  punishment  they  got  for 


28  XEMORAMA  THE  XAUTCHNEE. 

not  appreciating  it  as  they  should,  and  that  we  poor 
mortals  living  elsewhere  can  only  realize  our  great 
loss  by  a  visit  to  that  lovely  island,  latterly  known  as 
Buddha's  paradise." 

"  You  seem  glad  to  be  so  near  India  again/'  re- 
marked Mr.  Morgan. 

"  Indeed,  I  am  glad,"  replied  the  captain.  "  I  feel 
as  if  I  were  returning  home.  Ah,  sir,  when  I  first 
left  India  I  little  thought  that  I  should  ever  yearn  for 
it  as  home — but  such  it  has  become  to  me." 

"When  did  you  first  come  to  India?"  asked  Mr. 
Stanhope. 

"Just  before  the  mutiny  in  1857,"  replied  the  cap- 
tain, "  and  my  first  experiences  were  in  the  midst  of 
barbarities  the  most  terrible  ever  known  in  warfare. 
Now  every  thing  is  changed.  The  fleeting  years 
have  left  their  marks,  and,  although  India  is  a  land 
where  the  people  cling  with  wonderful  tenacity  to  the 
customs  of  their  ancestors,  the  great  influx  of  foreign- 
ers is  having  a  modifying  and  reconstructing  effect 
in  all  parts  of  the  land.  You  would  never  suppose, 
from  seeing  them,  that  a  people  could  change  so  sud- 
denly and  so  terribly  as  the  Hindus  did  in  that  awful 
mutiny,  but  it  is  an  evidence  of  the  power  of  a 
man's  religious  prejudices  over  his  reason  and  his 
natural  tenderness  of  heart.  When  you  offend  a  peo- 
ple's religious  convictions  you  turn  loose  a  nature  as 
ferocious  as  a  tiger's." 

"  I  have  read  many  accounts  of  that  terrible  time," 


OUTWARD  BOUND.  29 

said  Miss  Thompson,  "  arid  I  have  wept  at  the  recital 
of  the  cruelties  then  perpetrated,  but  I  have  never 
heard  an  eye-witness  tell  of  it.  Would  it  be  asking 
too  much  of  you,  captain,  to  tell  us  about  it  ? " 

With  a  gallant  bow  to  the  fair  questioner,  the  sol- 
dier replied:  "Nothing  would  be  a  trouble  to  me 
that  would  afford  you  pleasure,  but  I  fear  if  I  were 
to  picture  to  you  the  scenes  through  which  I  have 
passed,  your  tears  would  flow  afresh  many  times.  But 
I  will  tell  you  something  about  India  which  may  be 
a  help  to  you  in  understanding  the  present  state  of 
society,  and  explain  why  it  is  so  diflicult  for  even  the 
Gospel  to  reach  these  benighted  people." 

The  captain  then  turned  to  his  valet,  and  said  : 

"Dennis,  bring  some  refreshments.  Miss  Thomp- 
son, will  you  have  some  claret  ? " 

"  No,  I  thank  you,"  she  replied,  "  I  never  drink 
wine.  I  belong  to  the  Women's  Christian  Tem- 
perance Union." 

"  O  !  "  he  replied.  if  Wei  ,  you  arc  better  off ;  wine- 
drinkers  fare  badly  in  the  hot  climates;  but  you  will 
have  some  soda  ? " 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  "  I  am  quite  fond  of  soda." 

Dennis  at  once  brought  soda-water,  and  when  they 
had  emptied  their  glasses,  removed  them  and  dis- 
appeared. 


30  NEMORAMA  THE  ^AUTCHNEE. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE     ORIGIN     OF     CASTE. 

DENNIS  O'StiANE,  the  valet  of  Captain  Grey,  was 
an  Irishman  of  purest  Celtic  stock.  Large  in  body, 
ruddy  in  countenance,  hair  of  reddish  hue,  garru- 
lous, impulsive,  keen  in  wit,  strong  as  a  giant,  yet 
tender  as  a  woman,  devoted  to  his  master,  and  in- 
clined to  be  pleasant  to  every  body,  he  won  the 
regard  of  every  one  while  convulsing  them  with 
mirth. 

Dennis  was  allowed  great  liberties  because  he  had 
served  his  master  faithfully  for  many  years.  In 
battle  and  in  hospital  he  had  saved  his  master's  life. 
The  captain,  fully  understanding  him,  was  not  dis- 
posed to  resent  his  kindly  familiarity. 

The  other  servants  on  the  vessel  were  unusually 
polite  to  Captain  Grey.  They  were  as  reverential  to 
him  as  if  he  were  an  exalted  being.  Dennis  was  the 
cause  of  this  unusual  respect,  for,  when  not  on  duty, 
he  had  gathered  them  about  him,  and  with  his  rich 
flow  of  adjectives  had  spoken  to  them  of  his  master 
in  an  unlimited  ascription  of  impossible  achieve- 
ments. It  was  more  than  likely  that  if  any  of  them 
had  disputed  the  truthfulness  of  these  assertions, 
Dennis  would  have  attempted  to  break  the  offender's 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  CASTE.  31 

head.  The  Americans  were  nearly  convulsed  with 
amusement  one  day  to  hear  Dennis  talking  to  an  un- 
sophisticated servant  about  his  first  trip  away  from 
home.  "With  a  very  patronizing  air,  and  with  all  the 
pomposity  he  could  command,  he  said : 

''Sure  an'  yez  will  be  mightily  plazed  wid  the 
grandeur  of  Indi',  an'  it  is  myself  plainly  remimbers 
the  look  of  the  natives  a-bowin'  in  the  dust  when  I 
walked  the  strate  in  the  rear  of  Captain  Grey.  Acli ! 
Patrick  Muldoon !  what  would  ye  have  said  if  ye 
had  seen  me  thin,  wid  all  me  grandeur  and  gallantry, 
impressin'  the  people  2  But  niver  mind  thot  now. 
In  India  they  revarse  matters.  The  hills  they  cover 
with  temples,  but  the  people  mostly  go  widout 
clothes,  save  for  the  paint  on  their  foreheads.  They 
walk  about  as  soft  like  as  cats,  an'  take  great  pride  in 
exhibitin'  the  shaved  crowns  of  their  luxuriant  heads. 
Whin  ye  see  the  wimen  on  the  strate,  sure  an'  they 
are  all  clothed  entirely  in  red,  save  for  the  white 
shawl  that  wraps  them  from  head  to  foot,  an'  whin 
they  ride,  instead  of  walkin',  it  is  in  a  little  cart 
drawn  by  small  white  cows,  or  else  in  a  small  room 
built  on  poles  an'  shut  in  by  curtains,  the  same  being 
carried  on  the  shoulders  of  four  half-naked  men,  an' 
all  lookin'  too  poor  to  tempt  even  buzzards.  But 
whin  they  see  yez  a-comin',  the  sight  of  yez  so  strikes 
them  wid  amazement  that  they  git  down  on  the 
ground,  wid  their  faces  in  the  dust,  for  very  rever- 
ance  of  yer  greatness,  do  ye  see.  Ye  must  know  the 


32  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

people  of  India  are  astonislrin'  polite,  an'  to  show 
proper  appreciation  yez  must  hold  your  head  high 
up,  as  if  it  was  all  true ;  an'  whin  ye  spake  to  them 
be  sure  an'  spake  rael  grand  like,  so  as  to  im- 
press thim  with  your  spache  as  well  as  with  yer 
appearance." 

Aa  Dennis  said  this,  he  attempted  to  show  the 
servant  how  to  walk  and  speak.  His  effort  was  so 
successful  that  the  Americans  could  no  longer  re- 
strain their  mirth,  and  Dennis  learned  that  his  audi- 
ence was  larger  than  he  had  supposed. 

They  told  Captain  Grey  of  his  valet's  humor,  and 
the  captain  laughed  with  them.  Then  to  destroy  the 
absurdity  of  the  scene,  said  : 

"  Dennis  is  comical,  but  he  is  also  very  intelligent. 
I  will  call  him  and  ask  him  some  questions,  and  you 
will  see  he  is  well  posted  on  India." 

In  obedience  to  the  call  Dennis  innnediately  came, 
when  the  captain  put  the  following  questions,  which 
Dennis  promptly  answered : 

"  What  is  the  shape  of  Hindustan  ? 

"Somewhat  like  that  of  an  elephant's  ear,  sir." 

"  What  is  the  distance  from  east  to  west?" 

"About  1,900  miles,  sir." 

"  What  is  the  distance  from  north  to  south  ? " 

"  Nearly  2,000  miles,  sir." 

"  What  is  the  area  of  the  country  in  square 
miles  ? " 

"  1,577,698  square  miles,  sir." 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  CASTK.  33 

"What  is  its  population?" 

"300,000,000,  and  growing  rapidly  all  the  time, 
sir.." 

"  How  many  of  these  are  Europeans?" 

"Only  one  out  of  every  3,500,  sir." 

"Is  it  possible,"  said  Miss  Thompson,  "that  there 
are  so  few  Europeans  there?  How,  then,  does  the 
English  government  hold  possession  ?" 

"  Ah  "  replied  the  captain,  "  this  shows  the  courage 
and  grit  of  the  English  soldier.  It  also  shows  why 
England  fears  the  crafty  schemes  of  Russia ;  but,  to 
fully  comprehend  it,  the  whole  structure  of  govern- 
ment in  India  must  be  considered.  Tlie  Hindus  lack 
the  power  of  organization.  The  English  glory  in 
perfect  organization." 

"Dennis,  tell  us  if  India  is  a  great  country?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  it  is  great.  It  is  of  great  antiquity,  of 
great  wealth,  of  great  resources.  It  has  great  rivers, 
great  plains,  great  jungles,  and  great  mountains.  It 
has  forty  mountain  peaks  each  of  which  is  over 
20,000  feet  high,  and  Mt.  Everest,  in  Nepaul,  31,000 
feet  high,  is  the  highest  mountain  in  the  world." 

"  Well,  Dennis,  yon  did  not  mention  cities,  are  they 
not  great  > M 

"  No,  sir ;  excepting  Bombay,  which  is  the  second 
city  for  size  in  the  British  dominions,  India  has 
no  great  cities.  It  is  a  land  of  villages.  It  has 
493,000  town  and  villages.  About  50,000  of  these 

have  over  1,000  each  in  population.     But  what  they 
3 


34  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

lack  in  cities  they  make  up  in  buildings.  As  Bishop 
Ileber  said,  'They  bnilt  like  Titans,  and  finished  like 
jewelers.' " 

"  How  about  its  population  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  most  thickly  populated  country  on  the 
earth." 

"  How  many  languages  are  spoken  in  India  ?  " 

"  Twenty,  sir." 

"  What  are  the  principal  ones  spoken  ?  " 

"  Sanskrit,  Pali,  Persian,  Arabic,  and  English." 

"Why  are  these  the  principal  ones?  " 

"Because  they  contain  the  religious  and  legal  writ- 
ings of  the  various  people  of  India,  sir." 

"  Yon  are  correct  in  your  answers,  and  may  now  re- 
tire with  thanks  of  us  all,"  said  the  captain,  and,  whh 
a  salute,  Dennis  departed. 

"  Alas !  in  what  ignorance  we  poor  mortals  re- 
pose," said  Miss  Thompson.  "To  learn  that  twenty 
different  languages  are  spoken  in  India,  and  many  of 
these  subdivided  in  various  dialects,  and  what  will  do 
in  one  part  of  the  land  will  not  do  in  another,  is  in- 
deed appalling.  To  talk  to  a  Parsee  we  must  know 
Persian  ;  to  a  Mohammendan,  Arabic  ;  to  a  Buddhist, 
Pali ;  to  a  Hindu,  Sanskrit,  and,  in  the  coast  towns, 
a  smattering  of  all  languages  known  among  men. 
Yet  the  good  people  of  America  think  a  missionary 
is,  or  ought  to  be,  able  to  preach  the  Gospel  anywhere, 
to  any  people.  Why,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  a 
person's  work  is  restricted  to  a  limited  sphere." 


TME  ORIGIN  OF  CASTE.  35 

Mr.  Stanhope  said :  "  I  should  imagine  the  study  of 
philology  would  be  exceedingly  interesting  in  India. 
In  fact,  if  I  remember  aright,  it  was  the  discovery 
of  Sanskrit  to  the  European  scholars  that  started 
philology  as  a  distinct  science." 

"Yes,"  replied  the  captain,  "  I  believe  that  is  so; 
and  the  story  of  the  Sanskrit  is  very  interesting.  The 
Aryan  invaders  of  ancient  India  did  not  come  all  at 
once,  but  in  successive  streams,  each  -differing  from 
the  other,  not  only  in  great  length  of  interval,  but  in 
dialects,  customs,  and  civilization. 

"  They  all  had  their  traditions,  mythical  heroes,  and 
religious  hymns.  But  their  trouble  was  not  having 
a  common  language.  Then  their  priests,  the  Brah- 
mans,  did  a  noble  thing.  They  took  the  various  Ar- 
yan dialects,  molded  them  into  one  grand,  harmonious 
language,  and  gave  the  world  the  '  Queen  of  Aryan 
languages,'  the  sacred  Sanskrit. 

"  But  the  work  of  the  priests  was  not  appreciated 
by  the  people,  and  they  never  made  it  their  common 
language.  They  clung  to  their  dialects,  called  Prakrits. 
The  priests,  however,  preserved  the  Sanskrit,  and  in 
it  wrote  their  sacred  books,  the  Vedas.  The  Sanskrit  is 
an  unchangeable  language.  The  Prakrits  have  been 
affected  by  the  speech  of  every  race  that  has  entered 
India.  It  is  therefore  an  evidence  of  the  wisdom  of 
those  ancient  priests  to  have  made  a  language  in 
which  to  preserve  inviolate  forever  the  sacred  thoughts 
of  the  Aryan  people. 


30  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

"The  most  famous  of  these  Prakrits  is  the  Pali, 
the  sacred  language  of  Ceylon,  in  which  the  doc- 
trines of  Sakyamuni,  or  Buddha,  are  written.  A.nd 
although  for  ten  centuries  the  new  faith  tried  to 
overthrow  the  old,  the  victory  has  rested  with  the 
faith  preserved  in  the  unchangeable  Sanskrit." 

"  I  am  delighted  to  know  this,"  said  Miss  Thomp- 
son, "  and  I  shall  pursue  my  studies  in  Sanskrit  with 
greater  zeal  than  ever.  Now  there  is  another  thing 
I  wish  you  would  make  plain  to  me,  captain ; 
and  that  is  the  system  of  caste,  which  seems  to 
be  the  great  hinderance  to  all  missionary  success  in 
India." 

"  I  think  I  can  make  it  plain,"  replied  the  captain, 
"  if  I  can  get  you  to  see  some  things  as  I  see  them. 
You  must  first  of  all  realize  that  the  people  of  India 
arc  like  ourselves  in  nature.  Their  ways  of  thinking, 
reasoning,  reflection,  and  expression  are  very  much 
like  our  own.  And  the  same  general  features  in 
sociology  observed  among  us  are  observed  in  India. 
The  spirit  of  caste  is  every-where.  In  England  it  is 
quite  prominent,  making  the  nobility  or  aristocracy 
on  one  hand,  and  the  working  people  or  trades  peo- 
ple on  the  other.  In  democratic  America  class  dis- 
tinctions are  largely  recognized,  even  in  churches; 
and  the  masses  say  the  churches  are  for  the  classes. 
Capital  is  arrayed  against  labor,  not  only  in  the  work- 
shop, but  in  society.  The  South,  you  know,  said, 
This  is  a  white  man's  government;  making  the 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  CASTE.  37 

color  line  the  basis  of  caste.  Whether  it  is  culture, 
or  ancestry,  or  position,  or  wealth,  or  color,  the  fact 
is  the  same,  it  is  caste.  In  India  it  lias  been  reduced 
to  a  system,  with  well-defined  rules,  and  centuries 
of  bondage  have  preserved  it  as  we  see  it  to-day. 
It  has  its  bad  side,  but  it  also  has  its  good  side.  In 
theory  you  will  probably  see  only  its  bad  side,  in 
practice  you  may  see  its  good  side.  If  you  were  to 
suddenly  break  down  the  system  of  caste  you  would 
turn  India  into  a  hell.  It  can  only  safely  be  broken 
down  by  the  substitution  of  something  better.  Chris- 
tianity will  do  it,  and  will  do  it  for  the  good  of  India. 
People  visiting  India  observe  that  the  immorality 
of  the  people  is  appalling.  They  can  only  know  this 
where  caste  is  broken  down.  The  system  of  caste 
is  the  protection  of  the  morals  of  India.  It  builds  a 
hedge  about  the  people.  It  guarantees  their  safety. 
Do  you  not  see  what  utter  demoralization  of  ideas  of 
propriety,  and  what  destruction  of  virtue,  would  en- 
sue if  this  hedge  were  removed  from  society  as  it  is 
at  present  constituted  ?  But,  pardon  me ;  I  did  not 
mean  to  argue  the  cpiiestion,  for  I  hope  Christianity 
will  destroy  caste  every-where.  If  you  are  not  wea- 
ried I  will  try  to  explain  how  caste  has  grown  to  be 
what  it  is." 

"  O,  thank  you  !  Do  go  on,  I  am  not  at  all  weary," 
said  Miss  Thompson.  And  the  gentlemen  adding 
their  encouragements,  the  captain  continued  : 

"In  the  study  of  races  and  the  migrations  of  men 


38  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

we  naturally  look  to  the  dispersion  from  the  tower 
of  Babel  as  the  beginning ;  but  this  mysterious  fact 
presents  itself — wherever  the  children  of  Noah  went 
they  found  people  already  settled  there,  arid  these 
aborigines  invariably  had  almond-shaped  eyes. 
They  were  Mongolian  in  type,  and  to-day  scholars 
are  eagerly  awaiting  the  translations  of  the  ancient 
writings  of  China  to  explain  who  the  Chinese  are, 
and  how  they  are  related  to  these  ancient  peoples  of 
similar  ethnographical  features. 

"  The  most  ancient  people  of  India  particularly  re- 
semble the  lower  races  found  to-day  in  Africa.  They 
were  diminutive  in  size,  black  in  color,  with  thick 
lips,  high  cheek  bones,  and  beardless. 

"  All  our  knowledge  of  them  is  from  traces  linger- 
ing among  succeeding  races.  The  first  descent  upon 
these  aborigines  was  probably  not  long  after  the 
building  of  the  tower  of  Babel,  when  two  diverse 
races  entered  India  from  the  north.  One  of  them, 
having  almond-shaped  eyes,  came  from  the  north- 
east. They  are  known  as  Kolarian.  The  survivors 
of  this  ancient  race  are  of  the  rudest  sort;  feeble 
in  intellect,  retaining  the  most  degraded  customs, 
almost  entirely  discarding  the  use  of  clothing,  and 
absolutely  without  a  literature.  You  probably  have 
observed  the  laborers  doing  the  most  menial  work 
on  the  vessel;  they  are  Coolies  of  Guzcrat  and 
Bheels  of  Rajpootana,  both  remnants  of  this  ancient 
Kolarian  race.  You  will  see  thousands  of  them  in 


Tin:  OIUGIX  OF  CASTK.  89 

Bombay  crowding  the  streets  where  the  hardest  work 
is  done.  From  the  north-west — a  route  to-day  distin- 
guished as  being  coveted  by  Russia — there  came  a 
race  called  Dravidian,  allied  to  the  Scythian  hordes 
of  Central  Asia.  The  ancient  poem  of  the  Brahmans 
speaks  of  them  as  i  uncouth,  savage,  given  to  hor- 
rible rites,  eaters  of  raw  meat,  cannibals,  and  being 
giants  or  apes  in  form.'  The  descendants  of  these 
Dravidians  now  dwell  in  that  part  of  India  south  of 
the  Yindhya  Mountains.  They  are  much  more  nu- 
merous than  the  Kolarians,  and  number  about  forty- 
six  millions. 

"  The  Telugus,  a  people  pronounced  by  some  trav- 
elers to  be  as  fine-looking  as  any  class  of  men  in 
India,  are  of  this  race.  You  will  probably  remember 
that  they  have  responded  to  the  calls  of  the  mission- 
aries with  astonishing  ardor. 

"In  the  period  following  these  invasions  the  land 
becaino  densely  populated,  but  the  social  customs 
continued  to  be  of  the  rudest  description.  At  a 
later  period,  probably  about  the  time  the  pyramids 
were  being  erected  in  Egypt,  the  races  known  as 
Aryan  began  to  migrate  from  the  high  lands  of 
Asia.  One  stream  went  westward.  *Thc  Euro- 
peans and  Americans  have  descended  from  these. 
Another  stream  came  southward,  and,  following  the 
track  of  the  Dravidians,  entered  India.  This  was 
followed  by  other  streams,  or  migrating  hordes,  push- 
ing on,  battling  continually,  putting  their  superior 


4:0  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

civilization  against  the  barbarism  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  land  ;  and  sweeping  out  of  their  way  the  weaker 
ones,  or  leaving  them  stranded  here  and  there,  like 
islands,  the  Aryans  seized  the  fertile  plains  along 
the  great  rivers  and  established  in  them  their  perma- 
nent homes. 

"  The  Aryans  had  a  priesthood,  traditions,  heroes, 
and  songs  for  worship  and  war.  Their  priests  in- 
vented Sanskrit,  wrote  the  Yedas,  and  classified 
mankind. 

"For  centuries  their  relentless  warfare  continued. 
It  was  race  battling  against  race,  civilization  against 
barbarism.  It  was  the  question  of  'the  survival  of 
the  fittest.'  "Well,  all  have  survived,  because  the 
inflexible  decree  of  the  conquerors  made  it  possible. 
The  system  of  caste,  to  preserve  the  strong  from  the 
disintegrating  influences  of  the  weak,  was  established, 
and  ever  since  has  been  tenaciously  observed  by  all. 
The  conquered  knows  his  place,  lie  is  a  pariah  ;  his 
obsequiousness  to-day  is  an  evidence  of  the  thorough- 
ness with  which  those  ancient  Aryans  did  their  work. 
Originally,  therefore,  caste  was  a  protection  against 
inferiority ;  to-day  it  is  a  protection  against  vice. 
But,  like  nmny  other  good  things,  it  has  done  its 
work,  and  is  becoming  a  thing  of  evil  and  needs  to 
be  superseded  by  something  better." 

At  this  moment  the  bell  sounded  for  dinner  and 
the  conversation  was  suspended. 


INDIA'S  RECORD  OF  BLOOD.  41 


CHAPTER  IV. 

INDIA'S  RECORD  OF  BLOOD. 

As  they  drew  nearer  to  Bombay  the  temperature 
became  the  more  delightful,  and  the  passengers  re- 
mained at  longer  intervals  on  the  deck.  The  weari- 
ness and  lassitude  which  they  suffered  while  on  the 
Red  Sea  were  now  entirely  overcome,  and  the  spirit 
of  music  was  awakened. 

The  piano  and  a  number  of  violins,  which  several 
of  the  officers  played  very  well,  were  brought  into 
service  to  accompany  the  choruses  in  which  the  voices 
of  passengers  harmoniously  blended. 

The  Americans  were  together  most  •  of  the  time, 
but  Mr.  Morgan  displayed  a  degree  of  restlessness 
which  he  alone  knew  was  caused  by  his  efforts  to 
prevent  Miss  Thompson  from  unconsciously  binding 
his  heart  to  her  own. 

He  looked  for  the  end  of  the  voyage  with  gladness, 
as  he  would  then  be  relieved  by  circumstances  from 
his  temptation.  Seeing  Captain  Grey  approaching 
the  group  made  room  for  him,  and  requested  informa- 
tion of  the  later  history  of  India.  He  was  not  un- 
willing to  grant  this,  but  insisted  that  they  all  have 
some  ice-cream  to  prepare  them  for  comfortable 
listening.  Then  he  said  : 


42  NEMORAMA    THE    X  AUTClIXKli.. 


"I  will  first  speak  jnst  a  word  about  the  ancient 
writings  of  the  people  of  India. 

"  The  ancient  epics  of  the  Hindus  are  histories  of 
the  solar  and  lunar  dynasties. 

"  The  Ramayana  tells  of  the  adventures  of  Rama, 
the  hero  of  the  solar  race,  who  conquered  Ceylon 
about  the  year  1200  B.  C.  The  Mahabharata  de- 
scribes the  wars  of  the  Pandus  and  Kurus,  of  the 
lunar  race,  about  1400  or  1300  B.  C. 

"  There  have  been  invasions  since  that  day.  Darius, 
the  great  Persian  king,  conquered  the  northern  part 
of  India,  and  made  it  a  satrapy,  and  it  contributed  its 
contingent  toward  the  immense  army  Xerxes  hurled 
against  Greece. 

"Alexander  the  Great  invaded  India  and  con- 
quered Porus  at  Guzerat.  He  would  have  overrun 
the  whole  country,  but  his  soldiers  became  alarmed 
at  his  continual  advancing  and,  by  refusing  to  follow, 
compelled  him  to  return.  The  Greek  historians  con- 
sidered India  as  being  wonderfully  civilized,  with 
opulent  cities,  and  the  arts  and  sciences  in  a  high 
state  of  cultivation. 

"  This  was  the  golden  period  of  Hindu  supremacy. 
At  this  time  caste  was  not  so  offensively  supported, 
and  their  females  were  neither  so  restricted  nor 
despised.  The  degradation  of  the  females  we  will 
partly  lay  to  the  Mohammedan  invasion. 

"The  next  invasion  was  by  the  Persians,  and  fire- 
worship  and  Zoroastrianism  found  root  in  India's  soil  ; 


INDIA'S  RECORD  OF  BLOOD.  •!.'> 

but  to-day  it  is  restricted  to  the  Parsees  of  Bombay, 
a  class  of  people  particularly  distinguished  for  their 
wealth,  culture,  business  tact,  and  thorough  integrity. 
They  command  the  admiration  of  all  who  know 
them. 

"  About  the  year  1000  A.  D.  the  Mohammedans 
with  sword  and  spear  forced  the  passes  of  the  Him- 
alayas and  swept  down  upon  the  land,  to  root  out  all 
opposing  religions,  and  in  their  stead  plant  the  faith 
of  Mohammed. 

"The  first  of  these  were  Afghans,  who  had  bee'n 
fire- worshipers  but  had  been  converted  to  Islamism. 
They  delighted  in  plundering  Hindu  temples,  robbing 
cities,  and  murdering  all  who  came  in  their  way. 
Mohammed  of  Ghazni,  in  1001  A.  D.,  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Mohammedan  power  in  India.  His 
flag  was  black,  and  under  its  folds  the  land  reeked  in 
blood  for  five  hundred  years.  War  was  their  delight, 
and  every  new  monarch  signalized  the  beginning  of 
his  reign  by  the  murder  of  all  that  he  suspected  might 
be  dangerous  to  the  peace  of  the  throne. 

"  In  1526  Sultan  Baber,  the  Tartar  governor  of 
Cabool,  a  descendant  of  Tamerlane,  and  the  son  of  a 
Mongol  woman,  overthrew  the  Afghan  rule  at  Pam- 
ipat,  and  established  in  its  place  the  Mogul  Empire. 
This  was  also  a  Mohammedan  power,  and  it  lasted  un- 
til the  mutiny  of  1857.  This  was  the  period  when 
all  Europe  was  dazzled  with  the  wealth  and  splendor 
of  the  Mogul  court. 


44  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

"  In  1497  Vasco  de  Gama,  the  Portugese  navigator, 
came  to  India,  and  was  received  with  great  pomp  by 
the  rajah  of  Calicut.  There  followed  many  voyages 
by  these  most  enterprising  of  mariners,  and  they  had 
a  splendid  opportunity  to  establish  themselves  in 
power ;  but  they  sought  to  Christianize  India  by  the 
methods  of  the  Inquisition,  and  as  a  consequence  they 
were  almost  annihilated.  There  was  left  upon  the 
Hindu  mind  an  utterly  false  and  ineffaceable  idea  of 
Christianity.  In  1594  the  Dutch  came.  In  1616 
the  Danes.  In  1668  the  French,  and,  for  a  time, 
under  Dupleix,  they  were  brilliantly  successful  in 
southern  India. 

"In  1579  Thomas  Stevens,  an  Englishman,  pub- 
lished an  account  of  his  travels  in  India.  As  a  result 
Queen  Elizabeth  incorporated  by  charter  the  British 
East  India  Company,  giving  them  the  control  of 
all  the  trade  between  England  and  India.  In  1600 
the  English  entered  India.  The  first  blood  shed  be- 
tween the  English  and  the  natives  was  in  1664,  when 
Sigani,  the  famous  Mahratta  chieftain,  attacked  the 
town  of  Surat,  and  was  driven  back  by  the  English. 

"  In  the  war  between  the  French  and  the  English 

O 

for  the  supremacy  in  southern  India  Clive  first  won 
his  laurels,  but  the  natives  of  India  did  not  feel  the 
awful  grip  of  England's  iron  hand  until  the  tragedy 
of  the  Black  Hole  in  Calcutta.  The  English  facto- 
ries were  being  established  in  Bengal,  but  they  were 
not  so  important  as  those  in  Madras.  In  1756  a  new 


INDIA'S  RECORD  OF  BLOOD.  45 

ruler  ascended  the  throne  of  Bengal,  Behar,  and  Orissa. 
He  suddenly  attacked  the  English.  The  women  and 
children  were  sent  to  the  ships,  while  a  hundred  and 
forty-six  Europeans  remained  in  Calcutta  to  treat 
with  Kawab  Surajah  Dowlah.  The  angry  nawab 
entered  the  city  on  a  sultry  evening  in  June,  and 
crammed  the  entire  number  of  Europeans  in  a  dun- 
geon eighteen  feet  square,  having  only  two  small 
breathing  holes.  In  the  morning  all  but  twenty-three 
of  the  one  hundred  and  forty-six  were  dead.  They 
were  suffocated  by  the  heat  and  the  poisoned  air  of 
the  dungeon. 

"At  the  time  of  this  awful  tragedy  Clive  was 
in  Madras.  He  at  once  hastened  to  Bengal,  and 
demanded  complete  satisfaction  from  the  infamous 
murderer.  The  nawab  armed  his  hosts  to  meet  the 
English.  He  had  50,000  infantry,  18,000  cavalry, 
and  an  immense  train  of  artillery.  Clive  had  only 
650  European  infantry,  150  gunners,  2,100  Sepoys, 
10  pieces  of  artillery,  and  a  few  Portuguese ;  but  he 
determined  on  the  battle,  and  on  June  23,  1757,  the 
battle  of  Plassey  was  fought.  Clive  was  thoroughly 
victorious  and  India  lay  at  his  feet.  The  murdered 
Europeans  were  avenged. 

"  For  a  hundred  years  the  English  grew  in  power, 
and  seemed  to  possess  the  confidence  of  the  people. 
Rulers  and  people  were  alike  respectful  and  kind. 
But  in  reality  beneath  this  smooth  surface  there  was 
bein£  culminated  the  most  terrible  scheme  to  drive 


46  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

out  the  English  and  restore  the  power  and  splendor  of 
their  native  princes. 

"It  seemed  impossible  that  the  Hindus  and  Mo- 
hammedans could  ever  unite  in  any  cause,  for  they 
held  each  other  in  the  most  deadly  hatred ;  but  they 
entered  -into  this  conspiracy  and  with  equal  cruelty 
attempted  the  merciless  extermination  of  the  for- 
eigners. 

"  The  English  offended  the  Moguls  by  abolishing 
the  costly  pageant  of  a  dethroned  monarch.  They 
offended  Nana  Sahib,  the  leader  of  the  Hindus,  by  re- 
fusing him  the  titles  and  annuities  which  the  man 
who  had  adopted  him  as  a  son  had  held.  Hence  he 
became  the  most  heartless  conspirator  of  them  all. 

"  He  entertained  in  his  palace  with  great  apparent 
cordiality  numbers  of  English  officers,  and  seemed  to 
be  tenderly  solicitous  for  their  possession  .  of  every 
comfort ;  and  at  the  same  time  he  had  doomed  every 
one  of  them  to  a  cruel  death. 

"  The  fakirs  were  the  principal  agents  in  carrying 
messages  from  the  courts  of  the  natives  to  one  an- 
other, and  the  Thugs  and  murderers  confined  in  all 
the  prisons  were  promised  liberation  to  engage  in  the 
work  of  massacre. 

"  The  plot  was  to  be  ripe  on  the  one  hundredth  an- 
niversary of  the  battle  of  Plassey.  They  thought  the 
power  that  rose  on  that  day  should  fall  on  that  day ; 
and  their  astrologers  had  declared  that  if  they  did  not 
beat  the  English  on  that  day  the  British  would  hold 


INDIA'S  RECOKD  OF  BLOOD.  47 

India  forever.  As  the  time  approached,  the  Sepoy 
army  held  the  forts,  magazines,  and  treasuries  of  In- 
dia. Every  tiling  was  in  their  hands.  There  were 
only  forty-five  thousand  European  troops  in  all  India, 
and  of  these  twenty-one  thousand  were  in  Madras 
and  Bombay.  Two  thirds  of  the  others  were  on  the 
western  frontier  and  in  Burmah.  The  English  offi- 
cers had  such  confidence  in  their  Sepoy,  or  native 
Brahman,  troops,  that  they  could  not  believe  they 
would  rebel.  But  the  annexation  of  their  home, 
Oudh,  and  the  growth  of  missions,  leading  them  to 
think  their  religion  was  about  to  be  overthrown  by 
force,  excited  them  to  highest  frenzy.  Falsehoods 
appealing  to  their  prejudices  were  also  freely  circu- 
lated. The  year  before  the  mutiny  the  Enfield  rifle 
was  introduced  into  the  Sepoy  army,  to  take  the 
place  of  the  "  Brown  Bess "  muskets  they  had  been 
using.  This  rifle  required  a  peculiar  cartridge  which! 
was  to  be  manufactured  at  the  arsenal  near  Calcutta. 
The  fakirs  said  these  cartridges  were  greased  with 
hog's  lard  and  bullock's  fat,  and  it  was  to  destroy 
their  religion.  The  Hindu  has  a  wonderful  rever- 
ence for  the  cow,  and  the  Mohammedan  an  equal 
horror  of  the  hog,  so  that  this  statement  set  them 
all  wild  with  frenzy.  The  fakirs  also  asserted  that 
the  English,  had  imported  several  cargoes  of  flour 
mixed  with,  bones  which  had  been  ground  fine,  and 
one  morsel  of  it  would  destroy  the  caste  of  any  man ; 
and  that  this  flour  had  been  covertly  introduced  and 


48  ,  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

was  then  on  sale  in  all  the  leading  bazaars,  but  so 
well  disguised  that  even  the  dealers  could  not  detect 
it.  Imagine  the  effect  of  such  tales  from  their  relig- 
ious leaders!  In  February,  1857,  took  place  that 
singular  circulation  of  small  unleavened  cakes  called 
"  chupatties."  Each  recipient  of  two  cakes  was  to 
make  ten  others  and  transmit  them  in  couples  to  the 
constables  of  the  nearest  village,  and  they  to  others. 
This  singular  warning  excited  the  whole  country, 
and  yet  the  English  were  utterly  ignorant  of  any 
trouble.  Before  the  set  day  came  the  mutiny  was 
precipitated,  and  this  saved  the  English  cause  in 
India. 

"  I  will  not  distress  you  by  depicting  the  scenes  of 
fiendish  cruelty  that  marked  every  step  of  this  mu- 
tiny. Such  cruelty  has  never  been  surpassed  in  hu- 
man warfare.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  there  have 
never  been  brighter  exhibitions  of  courage  and 
trustworthiness  than  were  displayed  by  the  soldiers  of 
the  English  army.  Many  of  the  Sepoys,  too,  re- 
mained faithful,  and  the  natives  also  who  had  be- 
come Christians  were  as  true  and  brave  as  the  best 
of  Europeans.  Terrible  as  was  the  conflict,  the 
power  of  the  English  triumphed,  the  mutiny  was  sup- 
pressed, and  the  perpetual  sovereignty  of  the  land 
won  for  England. 

"  At  present  India  is  more  prosperous  than  ever 
before.  Railroads  and  broad  thoroughfares  are  bind- 
ing all  parts  of  the  country  together.  The  true 


INDIA'S  RECORD  OF  BLOOD.  49 

appeal  of  Christianity  is  being  better  understood,  and 
the  day  may  not  be  far  distant  when  the  elab- 
orate temple  and  mosque  worship  will  be  a  thing  of 
the  past." 

"  God  grant  it !  "  Paul  Stanhope  devoutly  said. 

The  captain  now  withdrew,  amidst  the  hearty 
thanks  of  the  entire  party.  As  he  walked  away 
Dennis  whispered  to  Mr.  Morgan,  "Sure,  sir,  the 
captain  himself  was  a  great  sufferer  in  that  bloody 
time.  His  home  an'  all  his  loved  ones  were  de- 
stroyed. An'  it  is  his  grief  to  this  day." 

Miss  Thompson  heard  the  remark  and  understood 
why  the  captain  had  refrained  from  giving  harrow- 
ing details. 


50  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

BOMBAY. 

AT  an  early  hour  on  the  following  morning,  while 
the  rising  sun  was  rapidly  scattering  the  mists  that 
hung  low  over  the  horizon,  the  passengers  went  on 
deck  and  crowded  the  bow  of  the  ship,  each  one 
eager  to  be  the  first  to  catch  sight  of  Bombay.  At 
length  the  lookout,  seated  in  his  lofty  perch  in  the 
rigging,  called  out,  "  Land  ahead  ! "  and  in  a  few 
moments  the  passengers  saw  the  beautiful  city  rising 
out  of  the  waters  before  them,  and  those  familiar 
with  its  towers  called  the  names  of  the  prominent  ob- 
jects as  they  rapidly  appeared. 

Bombay  is  built  on  the  end  of  an  island  eight 
miles  long  and  three  wide.  It  connects  with  Salsetta, 
another  island,  and  with  the  main-land  by  long  via- 
ducts. The  harbor  is  unrivaled  in  the  world  for 
beauty,  and  furnishes  a  safe  anchorage  for  vessels  of 
all  sizes. 

Among  the  beautiful  islands  in  the  harbor  is  Ele- 
phanta,  famous  as  the  site  of  ancient  templed  caves, 
and  the  resort  of  all  travelers  to  India.  The  main- 
land on  the  east  side  of  the  harbor  is  thickly  fringed 
with  luxuriant  groves  of  stately  palm-trees,  amidst 
which  are  to  be  seen  pagan  temples  of  all  styles, 


BOMBAY.  51 

each  one  showing  by  its  peculiar  form  whether  it  is 
the  resort  of  Hindus,  Parsees,  Jainas,  or  Moham- 
medans. Back  of  the  coast  rise  the  Ghauts,  or 
mountain  ranges,  the  faces  of  which  are  diversified 
by  terraces,  spires,  pointed  peaks,  and  rounded  sum- 
mits. Upon  some  of  these  the  ruins  of  old  Mahratta 
castles  glitter  in  the  sunlight,  constant  reminders  of 
the  terrible  battles  by  which  the  Hindus  attempted 
to  defend  their  land  from  the  Mohammedan  invaders. 

The  rock-bound,  cnp-shaped  harbor,  with  its  border 
of  luxuriant  foliage,  forms  a  beautiful  setting  for  the 
island  city,  a  city  second  in  size  in  the  great  British 
Empire,  while  in  its  variety  of  population,  it  .stands  as 
the  most  wonderful  in  the  world.  Bombay  was  a 
part  of  the  marriage  dowry  of  Catharine,  Princess  of 
Portugal,  which  she  brought  to  Charles  II.  in  1662. 
It  received  its  name  from  Bamba  Devi,  a  beautiful 
Hindu  queen  who  lived  before  Alexander  the  Great 
visited  India,  and  who  was  worshiped  after  her  death, 
in  one  of  the  oldest  Hindu  temples  on  the  island,  as 
the  Great  Mother. 

Bombay's  wonderful  harbor  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  East  India  Company,  and  they  made  the  town 
their  capital.  From  that  time  until  now  it  has  rap- 
idly and  substantially  grown. 

Slowly  the  vessel  drew  up  to  the  Mayagon  Bunder ; 
the  passengers  bade  each  other  farewell,  then  climbed 
up  the  great  granite  steps  to  the  quay.  After  enter- 
ing the  custom-house  and  attending  to  its  demands, 


52  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

they  passed  out  into  the  street,  and  were  in  India. 
As  they  entered  the  square  the  peculiar  life  of  India 
at  once  burst  upon  them.  Bare-legged  Hindus,  clothed 
in  snowy-white  garments,  with  immense  turbans  on 
their  heads,  humbly  asked  the  privilege  of  taking  the 
strangers  to  their  destination.  Their  conveyances  had 
oblong,  box-shaped  bodies,  with  latticed  windows,  set 
on  wheels  and  drawn  by  small  white  oxen. 

The  streets  were  swarming  with  people.  Every- 
where it  was  like  the  front  of  a  bee-hive  in  flower 
season. 

White  robed  Brahmans,  Buddhists,  Jainas,  Hindus, 
Chinese,  Persians,  Arabs,  Africans,  Indo-Portuguese, 
Indo-Britons,  Jews,  Arminians,  Afghans,  Caucasians, 
Parsees,  Americans,  French,  Germans,  Italians,  En- 
glish, soldiers,  and  policemen.  The  streets  were  al- 
most lined  with  policemen,  who  never  failed  to  touch 
their  hats  to  the  English  or  Americans  as  they  passed 
by  them. 

But  the  great  crowds  of  Asiatics,  dark  brown  in 
color,  were  the  most  curious  of  all.  The  coolies,  or 
common  laborers,  went  about  with  only  a  strip  of 
cloth  covering  their  loins  and  immense  turbans  on 
their  heads.  House-servants  wore  a  little  more  cloth- 
ing. Low  caste  women,  or  women  below  caste,  were 
in  the  crowds  overdressed  in  the  most  gaudy  colors, 
crimson,  scarlet,  yellow  and  blue  being  favorite 
colors. 

There  were  also   Hindu   maidens  with   ear-rings, 


BOMBAY.  53 

nose-rings,  bracelets,  and  huge  silver  anklets  on  their 
naked  feet,  with  scant  clothing  and  a  profusion*  of 
ornaments,  going  their  various  ways.  The  men  at- 
tempted to  add  to  their  attractive  appearance  by  col- 
oring their  lips  a  brilliant  red,  and  placing  upon  their 
foreheads  stripes  of  coarse  pigments,  these  being  the 
symbols  of  their  different  castes.  In  every  direction 
the  streets  were  filled  with  crowds  of  these  people, 
and  the  little  ox- carts  were  welcomed  as  friends  in  the 
hour  of  need. 

At  the  door  of  the  custom-house  our  friends  parted. 
Miss  Thompson  was  soon  safely  stowed  in  a  roomy 
ox-cart,  with  instructions  to  the  driver  to  land  her 
safely  at  the  mission  schools  in  Byculla,  one  of  the 
suburban  places  under  the  special  patronage  of  several 
wealthy  English  ladies  of  high  rank.  Rev.  Mr.  Stan- 
hope then  entered  a  cart  and  was  driven  to  the  resi- 
dence of  a  missionary,  who  was  awaiting  his  arrival  to 
introduce  him  to  his  future  work  in  Benares. 

Mr.  Morgan  was  taken  through  the  entire  city  to 
Watson's  Hotel,  one  of  the  finest  hotels  in  the  world, 
and  Captain  Grey,  with  Dennis,  proceeded  to  the 
English  barracks  on  the  promontory,  where  the  En- 
glish soldiers  had  the  benefit  of  the  most  delightful 
breezes  to  be  enjoyed  in  Bombay. 

Miss  Thompson  was  cordially  welcomed  at  Byculla, 
and  was  made  to  feel  at  home  by  the  kind  attentions 
of  those  who  had  also  left  home  and  mother  to  do  the 
Lord's  work  in  India.  One  of  the  ladies,  whose  purse 


54  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

was  always  open  to  advance  tlie  missionary  work,  in- 
sisted on  entertaining  Miss  Thompson  in  her  own 
home  at  Colabah.  This  part  of  Bombay  was  on  the 
lower  part  of  the  promontory,  just  below  the  soldiers' 
barracks.  It  was  on  a  spot  between  two  bays,  and 
the  site  of  many  bright,  airy  bungalows,  from  whose 
broad,  shady  verandas  the  harbor,  with  its  huge  ocean 
steamers  and  thousands  of  small  boats,  could  be  seen 
on  the  one  side,  and  the  busy,  throbbing  life  of  the 
city  on  the  other.  Here,  too,  they  conld  hear  the 
music  of  the  English  bands,  as  every  evening  they 
saluted  the  going  down  of  the  sun  by  the  rendition 
of  national  airs. 

When  her  guest  had  rested  sufficiently  from  the 
long  journey  the  English  lady  sent  for  her  carriage  to 
take  them  through  the  bazaars  of  the  city.  The 
wealthy  people  of  Bombay  prided  themselves  on  the 
elegance  of  their  turn-outs,  and  even  the  drivers, 
with  the  spirit  of  Arabs,  talked  to  their  horses  as  to 
companions. 

They  directed  the  coachman  to  drive  first  through 
the  markets  of  the  Parsees.  These  were  the  most 
famous  of  all  the  merchants  in  Bombay.  The  mar- 
kets were  at  least  three  miles  long,  and  were  in  great 
blocks  of  lofty  houses  built  in  the  prominent  Oriental 
style,  having  wooden  balconies  and  latticed  windows 
projecting  over  the  street,  displaying  elaborate  carv- 
ings, and  festooned  with  costly  tapestries.  These 
buildings  were  homes  as  well  as  markets.  The  mer- 


BOMBAY.  55 

chants  lived  in  the  upper  stories,  while  the  ground 
floors  were  used  as  stores  and  the  alcoves  as  shops  in 
which  native  artisans  made  the  articles  sold.  Here 
kinkaubs,  or  cloths  of  gold,  were  woven,  and  also 
inulmuls,  or  muslins,  of  such  transparent  texture  as 
to  be  called  "  running  waters." 

O 

In  sonic  of  the  shops  half-naked  men  and  women, 
with  tools  as  rude  and  savage-looking  as  their  own 
faces,  sat  making  drinking-cups,  boxes,  and  fans  out 
of  cocoa-nut  shells ;  and  tables,  chairs,  and  other  arti- 
cles of  furniture. 

They  seemed  to  be  accustomed  to  the  curiosity  of 
foreigners,  and  did  not  mind  the  coming  of  visitors, 
but  steadily  continued  at  their  labor. 

After  watching  their  peculiar  way  of  Working  for 
some  time,  the  ladies  entered  their  carriage  and  drove 
to  the  Bhendee  Bazaar.  Here  they  saw  the  real 
mixed  life  of  Bombay.  The  streets  of  the  bazaar 
were  densely  crowded.  Carriages  of  Europeans; 
draped  carriages,  drawn  by  milk-white  bullocks,  con- 
veying Hindu  or  Parsee  ladies  closely  veiled;  native 
soldiers  pressing  through  the  crowd  ;  native  women, 
clothed  in  handsome  dresses,  going  from  stall  to  stall ; 
coolies,  with  only  a  cincture  around  their  loins,  strug- 
gling along  with  immense  burdens  on  their  heads, 
some  of  them  so  hidden  that  only  a  pair  of  bare  legs 
were  seen  under  the  bulky  burden  ;  Mohammedans 
wearing  elaborate  turbans  stopping  to  converse  with 
merchants  who  were  seated  cross-legged  in  their  dens, 


56  NEMOBAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

wearing  turbans  and  long-flowing  robes,  and  smoking 
long  hookas;  beggars  clamoring  for  assistance,  crip- 
ples displaying  their  infirmities,  vagabonds  standing 
in  the  way,  peddlers  continuously  yelling  to  attract 
attention,  and  dogs  yelping  as  if  trying  to  make  the 
most  noise  of  all,  while  in  shady  spots  loungers  lay 
sleeping,  utterly  indifferent  to  every  thing.  Out  of 
this  confusion  they  were  glad  to  return  to  the  cool 
verandas,  where  Jennie  rested  and  regained  strength 
to  begin  work  on  the  morrow. 

Mr.  Morgan  was  delighted  with  Watson's  Hotel. 
It  was  like  home,  for  the  managers  carefully  studied 
the  tastes  of  their  guests,  and  employed  every  means 
to  gratify  them.  Numbers  of  servants  moved  about 
with  silent'  tread.  They  seldom  spoke,  and  with 
quick  intuition  anticipated  the  needs  of  those  whom 
they  served ;  hence  the  guests  always  found  ready  at 
hand  just  what  they  desired. 

This  faculty  is  one  of  the  features  of  the  Hindoo 
character. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Morgan's  arrival  the  social 
season  was  at  its  height,  and  the  pleasure-loving  peo- 
ple spent  every  evening  in  elaborate  social  entertain- 
ments. His  letters  of  introduction  opened  the  way 
for  a  cordial  reception  by  the  people  dwelling  on 
Malabar  Hill,  and  he  was  at  once  received  into  the 
social  life  of  the  elite  of  the  city. 

He  had  come  to  India  for  pleasure,  and  as  he 
tasted  of  the  amusements  indulged  in  by  the  wealthy 


A  NACTCH  GIRL. 


BOMUAY.  H7 

people  of  Bombay  the  opportunities  for  his  gratifi- 
cation appeared  to  be  boundless. 

At  one  time  during  the  voyage  from  Suez  he 
came  under  the  spell  of  Jennie  Thompson's  influ- 
ence, and  seriously  thought  of  changing  his  plans  and 
trying  to  be  useful  to  his  fellow-men.  But  the 
effort  to  break  away  from  the  spell  of  love  for  the 
pretty  missionary  led  him  to  throw  himself  the  more 
vigorously  into  lively  associations,  and  he  did  not 
return  to  the  more  serious  purposes  of  life.  Their 
aims  were  so  much  higher  than  his  own,  their  courage 
so  much  more  profound,  their  zeal  so  much  more 
fervent,  that  he  hastily  bade  his  friends  farewell,  and 
plunged  into  such  pleasures  as  tended  to  hush  the 
voice  of  conscience,  and  prevent  its  calling  to  him  to 
give  up  the  lower  and  seek  the  higher. 

The  entertainments  given  by  the  society  people  in 
Bombay  were,  he  found,  of  a  peculiar  character.  It 
was  considered  beneath  the  dignity  of  a  lady  to  engage 
in  sports  of  any  kind.  Although  they  were  all  ar- 
dent admirers  of  the  dance,  for  a  lady  to  have  en- 
gaged in  it  would  have  been  considered  a  most  dis- 
graceful act.  The  dancing  was  done  by  nautch  girls, 
hired  for  the  occasion  out  of  establishments  in  which 
they  were  carefully  trained  in  all  the  arts  necessary 
to  make  their  performances  pleasing  to  the  eyes  and 
ears  of  their  audiences.  A  nautchnec  must  have 
bright  eyes,  regular  white  teeth,  long  hair,  and  form 
and  features  of  perfect  symmetry.  They  -were  a 


58  XEMORAMA  THE  NAETCHNEE. 

class  below  caste,  and  mostly  of  unknown  parentage, 
sacrificed  to  feed  the  licentiousness  of  men.  Many 
of  them  were  from  Catch,  Cabool,  Cashmere,  and 
Rajpootana,  having  been  taken  from  their  homes 
when  little  children,  arid  because  of  their  beauty  pur- 
chased to  be  trained  for  this  kind  of  a  life.  Their 
beauty  and  culture  often  made  them  attractive 
to  rajahs,  or  wealthy  nabobs,  who  would  pay  as 
high  as  five  thousand  dollars  for  one  to  grace  their 
harem.  Admired  although  many  of  them  were,  for 
their  beauty  and  skill,  they  were  not  happy.  They 
were  like  lost  waifs  upon  the  sea  of  life,  the  better 
ones  living  in  dread  apprehension  as  they  saw  mul- 
titudes of  their  number  going  down  beneath  the 
waves  of  vice. 

The  last  entertainment  of  the  season  that  Morgan 
attended  was  given  by  a  liberal  Hindu  gentleman  who 
lived  in  a  palace  of  great  splendor  on  Malabar  Hill. 
It  was  in  honor  of  his  daughter  Dasee,  whom  Morgan 

m  O  /  O 

considered  the  most  attractive  maiden  he  had  met  in 
Bombay.  Refinement  and  luxury  had  surrounded  her 
from  her  infancy.  Morgan  was  honored  with  her 
friendship,  and  to  him  she  confided  the  information 
that  the  entertainment  would  be  made  attractive  by 
the  performances  of  the  most  brilliant  nautchnee  in 
Bombay.  The  entertainment  began  with  the  usual 
brilliant  cup-dance.  At  the  opening  Morgan's 
thoughts  were  absent  from  his  surroundings.  He  was 
thinking  of  the  pure,  sweet  face  of  the  missionary. 


1  M  >MBAY.  59 

A  burst  of  applause  caused  him  to  look  upon  the 
stage,  where  he  beheld  a  number  of  beautiful  nautch- 
nees  keeping  time  to  music,  as  they  advanced 
in  line.  Standing  apart  from  these  girls,  waiting 
her  turn  to  perform,  was  one  whose  face  was  a  perfect 
oval.  The  delicate  olive  complexion  was  purer  and 
more  transparent  than  that  of  her  companions.  Her 
eyes  were  large  and  brilliant,  and  her  features  were 
perfectly  rounded.  A  slight  tinge  of  pink  touched 
her  cheeks,  and  when  she  smiled  her  rows  of  perfect, 
brilliant  teeth  seemed  to  mark  the  climax  of  her 
marvelous  beauty.  She  was  clothed  in  the  usual 
garb  of  a  nautchnee,  the  contour  of  her  symmet- 
rical body  showing  through  the  drapery  that  en- 
circled her  form.  When  she  sang,  the  audience  was 
held  spell-bound  by  her  rich  cadences,  which  was 
increased  by  the  touching  melancholy  which  at  times 
swept  across  her  face.  Edward  Morgan  gazed  upon 
her  with  utter  surprise.  Such  a  picture  of  grace 
and  beauty  he  had  never  seen  ;  not  even  in  his  dreams. 
When  she  danced,  she  seemed  to  be  the  personifi- 
cation of  grace,  and  as,  in  closing  her  dance,  she  swept 
from  the  stage  the  people  were  wild  with  applause. 

He  wondered  if  she  would  appear  again,  and  his 
thoughts  turned  to  the  stories  he  had  heard  of  the 
strange  lives  many  of  these  nautch  girls  lived.  He 
asked  himself,  "  Can  vice  be  the  delight  of  so  beautiful 
a  creature  as  that?" 


CO  NEMOBAMA  THE  NAUTOHNEE. 


CHAPTEK  VI. 

THE     NAUTCHNEE. 

THE  beautiful  nautchnee  displayed  her  highest 
charms  in  the  delineation  of  scenes  in  the  irreat  Hindu 

O 

epic,  the  Mahabharata. 

This  Sanskrit  poem  is  the  delight  of  all  educated 
Hindus.  It  is  to  them  what  Homer's  epics  were  to 
the  Greeks,  or  Shakespeare  is  to  the  English  ;  embody- 
ing their  highest  conceptions  of  poetic  representation. 

The  greatest  culture  of  the  nautchnee  was  dedi- 
cated to  the  performance  of  these  dramas,  and  the 
dressing  of  the  various  characters  gave  opportunity 
for  the  display  of  all  their  charms  of  feature  and 
person. 

Edward  Morgan  looked  upon  this  Hindu  amuse- 
ment as  a  curious  phase  of  Bombay  social  life.  Sud- 
denly, however,  he  was  startled,  for  he  again  beheld 
the  nautchnee  who  had  so  captivated  him  by  her 
skill  in  dancing.  She  had  entered  to  personate 
Damayanti,  the  Vedic  beauty ;  "  whose  beauty  dis- 
turbed the  souls  of  gods  and  men."  She  wore  on  her 
head  a  crown  of  a  pattern  peculiar  to  the  ancient 
days.  Her  hair  was  unbound,  and  in  soft  silken 
tresses  hung  down  to  her  feet.  She  wore  a  gown, 
sleeveless,  and  open  at  the  throat,  exposing  her  arms, 


THE  NAUTCHNEE.  01 

neck,  and  part  of  the  breast.  It  was  a  fabric  of  the 
finest  texture.  It  was  ornamented  by  a  complete 
hem  of  variegated  silk,  and  fastened  at  the  waist  by 
a  silk  scarf.  Over  her  entire  figure  was  thrown  a 
veil  of  such  fine  web-like  texture  that  it  seemed  to 
be  floating  in  the  air  about  her  like  moats  dancing  in 
a  sunbeam.  As  she  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the 
play  her  lovely  features  expressed  all  the  phases  of 
passion,  sorrow,  joy,  and  triumph  which  the  drama 
called  for,  and  when  at  length  the  play  ended  and 
she  withdrew  the  audience  for  a  moment  seemed 
spell-bound  by  the  marvelous  beauty  they  had  beheld. 
Edward  Morgan's  mind  was  in  a  tumult  of  passion. 
He  recalled  the  fact  that  the  beautiful  creature  who 
had  displayed  such  marvelous  grace  and  culture  was 
not  considered  as  worth  a  serious  thought  to  the 
Hindu  ladies  of  Bombay. 

She  was  ostracized  from  the  homes  of  the  refined 
and  noble,  doomed  for  life  to  be  only  an  entertaining 
machine.  In  his  own  land  he  liad  known  men  to 
lavish  wealth  and  honor  upon  those  whose  genius 
enabled  them  to  display  attractions  of  person  and 
mind  far  inferior  to  what  he  had  just  beheld.  To  his 
American  ideas  of  equality  the  nautchnee  was  as 
noble  as  they,  and  in  recognition  of  her  powers  he 
would  lay  his  homage  at  her  feet. 

He  could  not  associate  such  beauty  and  grace  with 
loathsome  lust.  He  knew  she  was  not  despised  be- 
cause of  sins  she  had  committed.  It  was  onlv  because 


62  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

she  was  the  child  of  an  inferior  social  caste,  and  the 
accident  of  birth  forever  condemned  her  to  remain  in 
this  degraded  position.  He  began  to  think  of  her  as 
a  pure  white  lily  in  the  midst  of  a  dark,  mucky 
swamp,  and,  as  the  thought  grew  upon  him,  he  de- 
termined to  enter  the  noisome  swamp,  pluck  the 
lily  by  the  root  from  its  bed  and  plant  it  in  a  garden 
of  refinement  and  queenly  graces,  Avhere  it  properly 
belonged.  With  his  mind  disturbed  by  conflicting 
emotions  he  went  to  his  hotel,  to  recall  the  scenes 
through  which  he  had  passed,  and  to  determine  the 
best  course  to  pursue  to  accomplish  his  purpose. 

Nemorarna  had  noticed  the  thrilling  gaze  of  the 
American,  and  had  felt  her  heart  almost  burst  its 
bounds  as  she  recognized  in  his  eyes  a  passion  she 
had  never  before  observed  in  man. 

For  the  first  time  in  her  life  she  felt  the  thrill  of 
true  appreciation,  the  touch  of  heart  to  heart,  and  she 
rose  from  the  position  of  a  machine  to  that  of  a 
gifted  human  being.  From  that  moment  she  ceased 
to  play  for  gold ;  she  simply  consecrated  all  her 
powers  to  that  one  appreciative  listener.  She  knew 
she  was  surpassing  herself,  and  astonishing  all  who 
beheld  her,  but  the  time  had  come ;  her  hero  was 
before  her.  A  wild  ambition  seized  her :  it  was  to 
escape  from  the  limitations  of  her  life,  and  feed  upon 
such  food  as  was  now  given  her.  O,  the  delight  of 
that  hour !  It  ended  all  too  soon. 

When  the  curtain  dropped  she  retired  to  her  dress- 


THE  NAUTCHNEE.  63 

ing-room  and  \vcpt  as  she  liad  never  before  in  all  her 
life.  It  was  leaving  the  bright  sunlight  to  sink  into 
the  gloom  of  darkness. 

AVith  her  companions  she  hastened  to  her  home ; 
but  in  that  one  evening  she  had  become  a  changed 
creature. 

The  nantchnee's  home  was  in  the  most  degraded 
part  of  the  city.  The  house  was  surrounded  by 
a  high  wall,  within  which  was  a  court-yard  orna- 
mented by  oleander  and  rose  trees.  In  the  midst  of 
this  yard  was  the  building — divided  into  dormitories, 
training-rooms,  and  household  apartments. 

Nemorama  hastened  to  her  own  room.  It  was 
small,  and  furnished  with  matting  on  the  floor,  a 
cot  in  which  to  sleep,  a  tier  of  boxes  for  her  jewels 
and  garments,  some  lotas,  or  drinking  vessels,  a  few 
little  mirrors,  and  some  fancy  ornaments  which  she 
had  somewhere  picked  up.  This  was  all.  Divesting 
herself  of  jewels  and  robes  she  flung  herself  upon 
her  cot,  and,  covering  her  face  with  her  hands, 
struggled  with  the  mysterious  thoughts  that  surged 
through  her  soul. 

She  lay  in  this  manner  for  some  time,  when  she 
became  conscious  that  some  other  person  was  in  her 
room. 

Rising  quickly  she  saw  standing  near  her  a  beauti- 
ful girl,  only  twelve  years  of  age,  watching  her  with 
curious,  searching  interest.  She  smiled  as  she  saw 
the  intruder,  and,  opening  her  arms,  tenderly  called 


64  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

her  to  come  to  her,  and  then,  as  she  came,  folded  her 
in  loving  embrace. 

"  Ah,  Saineh,"  she  said,  "  is  it  yon  ?  Come  to  me, 
and  let  me  rest  my  weary  Heart  with  your  sweet  love. 
You  love  me,  Saineh,  don't  you  ?  And  don't  you 
know  I  live  on  your  love,  my  pretty  darling  ? '' 

The  child  came  to  her,  and  at  once  seemed  to  be 
in  complete  sympathy  with  her,  and  the  two  fondled 
each  other  with  such  caresses  as  only  the  purest 
affection  could  inspire. 

Five  years  before  Saineh  had  been  brought  to  this 
establishment.  She  was  a  little  maid  from  the  vale 
of  Cashmere,  and  as  beautiful  as  the  morning's  light. 
Her  father,  displeased  with  her  being  a  daughter, 
despising  girls  as  worthless,  loving  money  for  the 
gratification  of  his  desires,  sold  his  pretty  child  to  the 
owner  of  this  nautchnee  establishment,  and  thus  she 
came  to  be  a  companion  to  many  others  suffering  a  , 
similar  misfortune.  When  Nemorama  saw  her,  she 
at  once  adopted  her  as  her  protegee,  and  for  five  years 
Saineh  had  been  the  delight  of  her  life. 

The  child  was  a  true  Hindu.  With  a.  loving  and 
confiding  nature,  she  was  always  ready  to  lavish  ex- 
pressions of  love  upon  her  older  and  stronger  friend. 
Her  devotion  partook  of  the  nature  of  sympathetic 
absorption.  She  watched  Nemorama's  growing  pow- 
ers, and  with  strong  imitative  faculties  followed  her. 
Little  by  little  she  too  was  becoming  expert,  and,  for 
a  child,  was  already  famous.  The  sweet  tendencies 


THE  NAUTCHNEE.  65 

of  her  soul  shielded  her  from  evil,  and  the  wrath  of 
]S"einorama'g  stronger  nature  would  have  been  freely 
vented  upon  any  one  who  should  attempt  to  harm 
her  darling. 

These  nautchnees,  cast  out  by  their  own  parents 
and  ostracized  by  society,  owed  their  skill  and  grace 
to  their  severe  training,  and  they  felt  the  more  com- 
pletely their  dependence  upon  their  training  estab- 
lishment. It  was  their  home,  their  arena  of  hope, 
and  the  place  of  rest;  and  the  pure,  service-loving 
Hindu  hearts  looked  with  dismay  at  the  great  outside 
world,  and  labored  to  amuse  it  only  as  machines.  On 
nearly  all  these  faces  lingered  an  expression  of  sad- 
ness, of  lonesomeness,  which  only  departed  under 
strongest  excitement. 

The  following  morning  the  nautchnees  gathered  in 
their  training-room  for  their  daily  training.  There  were 
not  less  than  a  hundred  of  them  in  the  room,  and  all 
were  pretty — some  of  them  wondrously  beautiful.  The 
room  was  f urnished  as  a  gymnasium,  with  rings,  ropes, 
bars,  and  swings,  to  develop  every  muscle  of  the  hu- 
man body.  Here  they  were  trained  for  all  kinds  of 
dances  and  in  gymnastic  evolutions.  All  over  the 
light  bamboo  trellis-work  the  ropes  were  swinging 
with  the  active  girls  seeking  to  be  perfect  in  their 
performances. 

Saineh  was  in  great  glee  as  she  swung  high  up  in 
the  air,  revolving  in  the  swing  and  stretching  out  to 
its  full  length  her  supple  body,  showing  such  grace  of 


66  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

motion  as  to  awaken  the  admiration  of  even  her 
trainers. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  shriek,  a  body  fell  rapidly  to 
the  floor,  and  Nemorama  rushed  to  the  heap  of  flesh 
to  find  that  it  was  her  beloved  Saineh.  One  rope  of 
the  swing  had  become  detached,  and  the  girl  fell  help- 
less. The  blood  flowed  from  her  nose  and  mouth  and 
she  seemed  to  be  dead.  Nemorama  carried  her  to  her 
own  cot  and,  tenderly  washing  away  the  blood,  sobbed 
and  moaned  over  her  darling.  Soon  the  little  eyelids 
quivered,  the  breast  heaved,  and  a  moan  came  from 
her  lips.  Nemorama  piteously  called  to  her  to  waken 
and  speak  once  more.  The  eyes  opened  and  the  lit- 
tle face  smiled  in  response  to  the  ardent  pleadings, 
then  she  groaned  with  pain. 

What  could  be  done  for  the  little  sufferer  ?  The 
attendants  soon  saw  that  the  little  girl  must  die,  and 
her  faithful  friend  was  filled  with  deepest  anguish. 
Seeing  their  distress  Saineh  guessed  their  thoughts, 
and  asked  them  what  would  become  of  her  when  she 
died.  The  prospect  of  death  filled  the  child  with  ter- 
ror. It  was  an  awful  leap  into  the  dark,  a  darkness 
filled  with  most  terrible  monsters,  and  no  one  could 
save  her  from  her  terrible  fate.  She  clung  impulsively 
to  Nemorama,  but  she  could  only  sing  softly  to  her 
and  try  to  divert  her  mind  from  the  contemplation  of 
death.  The  child  had  learned  only  of  the  endless  suc- 
cession of  reptile  or  animal  lives  she  would  be  com- 
pelled to  live  in  the  awful  future.  She  was  afraid  of 


THE  XAUTCHNEE.  67 

toads  and  snakes  and  worms,  and  the  idea  of  being 
transformed  into  one  of  them  made  her  suffering 
body  quiver  with  fright ;  and,  with  her  mind  fasten- 
ing upon  the  only  ideas  of  death  she  had  ever  heard, 
she  soon  sunk  into  a  high  fever. 

Nemonma  was  tenderly  watching  over  her  when  a 
strange  footstep  was  heard.  The  door  of  her  room 
opened,  and  there  entered  a  young  woman  whose  face 
and  dress  at  once  indicated  an  American.  With  a 
pleasant  smile  she  said,  "  I  heard  of  the  dreadful  acci- 
dent to  one  of  your  number,  and  came  to  see  if  I 
could  help  her.  I  am  a  physician,  and  understand  how 
to  set  broken  bones  and  subdue  fevers.''  Then,  coming 
to  the  cot,  she  gazed  intently  into  the  face  of  the 
child  and  tenderly  touched  her  wrist. 

Xemorama  knew  something  of  the  skill  of  these 
American  lady  physicians  and  that  they  were  highly 
esteemed  by  the  high  caste  in  Bombay,  and  she 
watched  the  visitor's  expression  to  see  if  there  could 
be  hope  for  her  darling.  But  the  smile  faded  from 
the  visitor's  face  as  a  look  of  deep  pity  stole  into  her 
features,  and  with  true  pathos  she  murmured,  "  Poor 
little  maiden  !  How  quickly  such  beauty  fades  !  " 

Xemorama  understood  the  expression  of  the  visi- 
tor's face,  and,  knowing  these  Americans  were  also 
teachers  of  religion,  she  fastened  her  anxjous  gaze 
upon  her  face  and  asked  abruptly,  "  Where  will  Sai- 
neh  go  when  she  dies  ?  Will  she  become  a  toad,  or  a 
snake  ? " 


68  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

The  visitor  looked  into  the  large,  hungry  eyes  of 
her  questioner,  and  said,  "Did  you  ever  hear  of 
Jesus?"  Nemorama  slowly  shook  her  head  as  she 
replied,  "  No,  I  never  heard  the  name." 

At  that  moment  Saineh  awoke,  free  from  pain  and 
curious  to  hear  the  words  of  the  strange  lady.  Tak- 
ing her  hand,  and  gently  stroking  it,  with  tender  tones 
full  of  pity  and  love  the  visitor  told  the  story  of 
Jesus. 

She  told  of  the  glory  he  had  with  the  Father;  how 
he  came  to  save  men  ;  how  he  sought  out  the  poor 
and  outcast ;  how  he  won  the  victory  over  death,  on 
the  cross ;  how  he  went  into  heaven  to  prepare  the 
heavenly  mansions;  how  he  saves  and  glorifies  all 
who  trust  in  him.  Then  she  pictured  the  glory  of 
the  redeemed  ones  in  heaven,  forever  with  the  Lord. 
As  she  told  this  sweet  story  tears  of  joy  flowed  down 
the  cheeks  of  her  listeners,  and  Saineh  in  rapture 
said,  "  Now  I  am  ready  to  die.  O,  I  want  to  sec  the 
good  Jesus.  1  know  he  will  love  me,  for  I  shall  love 
him  with  my  heart.  O,  I  am  so  glad  you  have 
told  me  of  Jesus.  It  is  all  light  now."  Then  she 
partly  rose  from  the  cot,  her  eyes  grew  large  with  a 
•wondrous  expression,  a  smile  lit  up  her  features,  she 
said,  "  Why,  there  he  is  now  !  He  is  calling  me.  He 
calls,  '  Saineh,  Saineh,  come  to  me,  child.'  His  eyes 
are  full  of  love  to  me.  Yes,  I  am  coming." 

She  tried  to  rise — to  spring  forward.  Nemorama 
caught  her  in  her  arms,  the  blood  gushed  from  her 


THE  XAUTCHXKE.  69 

mouth,  and  when  they  laid  her  back  on  the  cot  they 
saw  that  she  was  dead. 

The  missionary  physician  departed,  to  tell  the  story 
of  a  Hindu  soul  saved  and  received  into  heaven  by 
the  Master.  Nemorama  with  calm  submission  fol- 
lowed the  body  to  the  burning  pyre,  but  comforted  ; 
for  the  chains  of  heathenism  had  been  shattered,  and 
she  was  walking  with  a  new  realization  of  life. 


70  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTOHNBE. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  NAUTC KNEE'S  HOME. 

NEMORAMA  returned  to  her  home  feeling  that  the 
tenderest  chords  of  her  heart  had  been  sadly  rent. 
No  sooner  had  she  found  some  one  o'f  kindred  spirit 
than  that  one  was  taken  from  her.  She  felt  utterly 
lonely  and  forsaken,  without  a  single  ray  of  light  on 
her  pathway. 

As  she  thought  of  the  friendship  in  the  past,  she 
wondered  if  Saineh  and  she  were  of  the  same  race 
and  caste.  They  had  been  like  sisters.  Both  loved  the 
same  things,  both  had  the  same  sad  longings  unful- 
filled, and  yet  Saineh  was  of  a  gentler  nature.  She 
was  frank,  forgiving,  and  generally  happy,  while 
in  Nemorama's  heart  there  was  constant  tumult,  dis- 
satisfaction, and  rebellion  against  the  life  she  was 
compelled  to  lead.  She  had  laid  aside  her  robes, 
and  was  cherishing  these  sad  thoughts,  when  a  mes- 
senger came  requesting  that  she  put  on  her  brightest 
jewels  and  appear  in  the  audience-chamber.  She 
obeyed  almost  mechanically.  She  knew  from  the 
manner  of  the  summons  that  a  stranger  had  come 
to  examine  her  qualifications  for  some  kind  of  an  en- 
gagement, and  she  was  not  supposed  to  be  sensitive 
in  regard  to  the  indelicacy  of  his  scrutiny. 


Tin:  MAI:TCUM-:K'S  U«>MK.  71 

Xo  time  was  allowed  lier  to  mourn  the  loss  of  her 
dearest  friend.  One  day  at  the  death-bed  of  all  she 
held  dear  on  earth,  the  next  day  dancing  with  gayest 
attire  to  please  a  fickle  public.  As  she  entered  the 
audience-room  she  saw  a  handsome,  brilliantly  dressed 
Mohammedan  talking  with  Bap,  the  master  of  their 
establishment. 

With  a  single  glance  she  measured  the  stranger, 
then,  casting  her  gaze  upon  the  floor,  awaited  her 
master's  commands.  Bap,  the  master  of  the  Nautch- 
nee  home,  was  a  keen,  shrewd  business  man.  For 
many  years  he  had  run  this  establishment,  and  had 
become  rich  through  his  good  bargains.  He  bought 
only  handsome  girls,  and  took  good  care  of  them. 
In  his  way  he  was  a  father  to  them,  and  the  only 
father  many  of  them  ever  knew.  He  exercised  su- 
preme command  over  them  because  they  knew  he 
held  in  his  hands  the  question  of  their  happiness  or 
misery,  their  life  or  death,  and  disobedience  to  him 
would  receive  an  awful  retribution.  His  word  was 
law ;  they  had  no  will  beyond  his  word.  He  said  to 
them  ';  Do  !  "  and  they  had  no  choice  but  to  respond 
to  his  bidding.  They  were  in  his  hands  as  tools  to 
play  with,  and  he  always  played  for  money. 

As  Xemorama  stood  in  silence,  the  stranger  care- 
fully observed  her  for  a  few  moments,  then  in  the 
boldest  manner  came  forward  to  examine  her.  He 
unrolled  her  luxuriant  hair,  felt  the  firmness  of  her 
arms,  looked  at  her  teeth,  noticed  the  symmetry  of 


72  XEMOKAMA  THE  XAUTCHNEE. 

her  figure,  and  then  engaged  in  low  tones  in  conver- 
sation with  the  master.  He  had  seen  Nemorama  at 
the  same  performance  in  which  Edward  Morgan  had 
beheld  her,  and  already  knew  the  grace  of  her  mo- 
tions, and  the  power  and  sweetness  of  her  voice. 

At  length  the  men  finished  their  conversation,  and 
the  stranger  coining1  near  her  said:  "Most  beautiful 

o  o 

of  women,  with  astonishment  and  rapture  I,  an  un- 
worthy dewan,  have  beheld  your  charms.  Your  ex- 
cellence is  so  great  that  the  multitudes  are  not  worthy 
to  gaze  upon  you.  As  a  brilliant  diamond  you  should 
be  reserved  for  the  crown  of  royalty  alone.  I  have, 
therefore,  come  to  convey  you  to  the  palace  of  my 
princely  master,  the  rajah  of  the  north-west,  to  il- 
luminate his  harem  with  a  brilliancy  unapproachable 
in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  And  may  your  power 
exceed  that  of  Xoor  Mahal,  who  was  the  most  beau- 
tiful of  women." 

The  dewan  then  bowed  before  her,  and  stood  with 
folded  arms  to  receive  her  reply.  Nemorama  was 
startled  by  this  fulsome  speech,  and,  with  an  expres- 
sion of  consternation  on  her  face,  looked  appealingly 
to  Bap  for  explanation. 

In  response  he  said  :  "  You  are  no  more  my  child  ; 
you  are  the  property  of  this  man's  master.  You  are  to 
become  a  great  princess  if  von  please  him;  if  you  do 
not  you  will  be  hidden  in  darkness  forever.  You 
have  been  a  good  girl,  and  I  am  sorry  to  part  with 
you,  but  such  is  life.  Go  !  and  may  you  be  happy." 


THE  NAUTCHNEK'S  HOMK.  73 

Then  slie  realized  it  all. 

She  was  sold  to  enter  the  harem  of  a  stranger, 
to  give  her  life  to  one  whom  she  had  never  seen. 
She  had  no  choice,  no  voice  in  the  matter.  A  certain 
siim  of  money  was  considered  an  equivalent  for  her. 
The  attachments  of  her  soul,  the  desires  of  her  heart, 
were  of  no  account. 

She  did  not  want  to  go.  If  she  went  she  would  be 
the  plaything  of  a  Mohammedan,  and  she  hated  the 
oppressors  of  her  people.  She  would  be  shut  up  in  a 
harem,  and  she  delighted  in  the  applause  of  the  peo- 
ple. She  would  never  see  the  American  again,  and 
the  hopes  of  her  life  would  be  blasted. 

The  tears  began  to  flow  down  her  cheeks,  and  as 
she  covered  her  face  with  her  hands  her  body  shook 
with  convulsive  weeping. 

Bap  was  moved  by  her  distress,  and  was  gratified 
at  her  reluctance  to  leave  his  home.  It  was  an  in- 
dorsement before  the  stranger  of  his  kindness  to  his 
girls. 

He  tried  to  soothe  her  by  saying :  "  Farishta,  the 
dewan  will  take  good  care  of  you.  You  will  be  sur- 
rounded with  every  luxury  and  become  a  great  lady, 
and  then  you  will  willingly  forget  the  plainness, 
the  poverty  and  severity  of  a  nautchnee's  life." 

Nemorama  sadly  withdrew  to  her  little  room. 
Her  companions  gathered  about  her,  and  while  some 
wept  at  her  departure,  others  congratulated  her  on 
the  good  fortune  that  had  come  to  her.  She  distrib- 


74  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

utcd  among  them  her  robes,  jewels,  and  ornaments 
as  keepsakes ;  for  the  dewan  had  provided  new  and 
more  costly  things  for  her.  Taking  only  the  little 
lota  which  had  belonged  to  Saineli,  she  bade  them  fare- 
well, allowed  the  dewan  to  veil  her  features,  "to  be 
seen  henceforth  only  by  the  rajah,"  as  he  said,  en- 
tered the  palanquin  provided  for  her,  and  at  once 
began  the  journey  to  the  rajah's  kingdom  in  the 
north-west. 

Bap  would  have  felt  great  sorrow  at  her  departure 
were  it  not  for  the  ten  thousand  rupees  he  had  re- 
ceived as  her  price.  When  he  looked  at  these  his 
sorrow  melted  and  disappeared.  He  was  still  consid- 
ering how  to  invest  them  to  the  greatest  advantage, 
when  a  servant  knocked  at  the  door  and  announced 
the  approach  of  a  stranger  to  see  his  master. 

As  the  stranger  entered,  the  host  bowed  low,  for  he 
recognized  before  him  the  handsome  American  in 
whose  honor  several  fetes  had  lately  been  given  in 
which  his  nautclmees  had  been  employed. 

Edward  Morgan  was  laboring  under  suppressed 
excitement  which  he  only  partially  concealed.  His 
whole  manhood  had  been  aroused,  and,  with  Ameri- 
can enthusiasm,  he  was  seeking  to  do  the  work  that 
seemed  to  lie  near  his  hand.  After  the  entertain- 
ment in  which  he  had  been  so  strangely  attracted  by 
the  Nautchnee  he  had  been  unable  to  sleep,  for  his 
mind  was  excited  upon  the  probable  life  of  the  gifted 
girl. 


THK  NAUTCHNEE'S  HOME.  75 

'  In  the  morning  a  coolie  came  to  him  and  informed 
him  that  a  "holy  man"  was  waiting  to  see  him. 
Following  the  direction  indicated  by  the  coolie,  he 
entered  a  grove  near  the  hotel  and  there  saw  a  fakir 
sitting  upon  the  ground  awaiting  his  coming.  The 
fakir  was  almost  naked.  His  hair  had  never  been 
cut  since  the  time  he  entered  on  his  "  holy  "  life,  and 
was  now  longer  than  his  body.  It  was  wound  around 
his  head  in  a  rope-like  coil,  and  fastened  with  a  wooden 
pin.  His  breast  was  daubed  with  a  thick  coating  of 
paint  and  ashes.  His  arms  and  legs  were  bare,  and 
seemed  to  be  only  skin  and  bone.  His  finger  and 
toe  nails  were  of  enormous  length.  His  eyes  had  a 
wild  glitter  that  seemed  to*  penetrate  the  soul  of  the 
person  he  gazed  upon.  Around  his  neck  were  strings 
of  beads,  and  in  one  hand  he  held  a  stout  club,  his 
only  defense  when  traveling  in  the  jungle. 

He  seemed  to  be  pleased  with  the  promptness  of 
the  American's  coming,  and,  re-arresting  his  attention, 
related  the  following  narrative: 

"  At  the  time  of  the  mutiny  in  1857  there  lived 
in  the  province  of  Oudh  a  Brahman  of  highest  caste. 
The  Brahman  was  the  happy  husband  of  a  wife  who 
had  borne  him  three  sons  and  a  daughter,  the  daugh- 
ter being  only  nine  years  of  age.  The  father  was 
about  to  give  his  daughter  in  marriage  to  a  Brahman 
of  the  same  caste  when  the  approaching  mutiny  in- 
duced him  to  delay  until  the  English,  whom  he  hated, 
should  be  driven  out  of  their  land.  As  he  expected 


76  XEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

this  to  be  accomplished  in  a  few  months  there  would 
be  no  disgrace  in  his  daughter  remaining  unmarried 

o  o  o 

for  that  length  of  time. 

"  But  the  Brahman's  sons  were  slain  in  the  mutiny, 
and  he  was  blown  to  pieces  from  the  mouth  of  a 
cannon — the  greatest  dishonor  that  could  have  over- 
come him ;  for  it  prevented  his  sonl  from  having  a 
happy  transmigration  and  left  it  to  a  disembodied 
wandering  condition  in  the  other  world.  The  sad 
fate  of  the  Brahman  caused  his  wife  to  die  broken- 
hearted, and  the  little  girl  fell  into  the  hands  of  an 
English  officer  whose  family  had  been  put  to  death  in 
one  of  the  terrible  massacres  of  that  time.  The  offi- 
cer with  great  kindness  protected  the  child,  and,  when 
she  had  become  of  suitable  age.  charmed  by  her 
beauty,  made  her  his  wife.  They  seemed  to  be  very 
happy  together.  He  loved  her,  and  she  gave  him  all 
the  faithful  attentions  a  Hindu  was  able  to  give. 
Their  happiness  was  increased  by  the  birth  of  a 
daughter,  and  the  child  promised  to  be  as  beautiful 
as  the  mother. 

"  When  the  child  was  just  getting  old  enough  to 
lisp  its  mother's  name  the  officer  was  sent  on  a  mis- 
sion to  a  neighboring  city.  When  he  returned  his 
wife  was  dead,  his  house  closed,  his  servants  scattered, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  most  diligent  search  was 
made,  no  trace  of  his  child  could  be  discovered. 

"  The  Hindu  relatives  of  the  woman  had  put  her  to 
death  because  she  turned  from  her  caste  to  marry  the 


THE  XAUTCHNEE'S  HOME.  77 

foreigner,  and  they  sold  the  child  to  a  Soudanese  mer- 
chant, who  disposed  of  it  to  some  dealer  in  girls  for 
nautchnees." 

After  a  few  moments  of  silence  the  strange  fakir 
continued  : 

"  Although  the  Hindu  woman  had  married  the 
officer  she  was  always  charitable  to  the  fakirs,  and 
many  times  she  fed  me  with  choice  food,  and  I  loved 
to  see  her  happy  face  as  she  caressed  her  little  babe. 

'"  When  the  officer  found  he  could  glean  no  tidings 
of  his  child  he  went  away  and  never  returned.  When 
the  story  was  told  to  me  of  the  sad  desolation  of  his 
household,  for  the  charity  the  mother  had  shown  me 
I  determined  to  find  the  child  and  watch  over  it. 

"  I  at  once  began  the  search.  I  was  fortunate  in 
getting  on  the  trail.  I  followed  the  child  through 
many  provinces  until  it  came  to  this  great  city.  I 
watched  the  place  it  entered  and  the  progress  it  made. 
I  watched  that  child  until  yesterday. 

"  She  is  now  as  beautiful  as  was  her  mother,  but 
fairer  in  face  and  more  supple  in  body.  She  knows 
not  the  purity  of  her  birth ;  she  knows  not  that  any 
one  has  kept  watch  over  her,  although  I  have  never 
lost  sight  of  her.  But,  no  matter;  I  am  rewarded  in 
knowing  I  have  accomplished  a  good  deed.  My 
course  is  almost  run.  I  have  been  waiting  a  long 
time  for  you  to  appear.  I  beheld  you  in  my  visions 
and  knew  you  would  come,  so  that  I  might  commit 
her  to  your  care.  Last  night  you  saw  her.  She  is  the 


78  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

beautiful  nautchnee  Nemorama.  While  watching 
your  countenance  I  saw  you  look  toward  her.  I  know 
what  that  kind  of  a  look  means.  It  corroborates  my 
visions.  She  is  now  in  danger,  and  your  work  as  her 
protector  must  begin.  Go  seek  her.  Defend  her. 
If  her  father  still  lives  find  him,  and  restore  his  child 
to  his  aching  heart  and  receive  his  priceless  blessing 
and  mine.  Farewell !  " 

Suddenly  the  fakir  disappeared.  Recovering  from 
his  astonishment  Morgan  looked  for  him,  but  he  had 
gone  as  silently  as  the  falling  of  a  leaf. 

Morgan  recalled  his  studies  in  esoteric  Buddhism, 
and  he  felt  the  thrill  of  a  mission  committed  to  him 
from  the  unseen  world.  With  solemn  determination 
to  succeed  he  accepted  the  obligation,  and  with 
American  vigor  so  pressed  his  search  that  within  an 
hour  he  stood  at  the  gates  of  the  nautchnee's  home. 
In  response  to  his  inquiry  for  the  fair  Nemorama  the 
master  informed  him  that  she  had  just  been  purchased 
by  the  dewan  of  a  great  rajah,  and  was  already  on 
the  way  to  his  dominions.  In  reply  to  his  question, 
"Did  she  go  by  her  own  choice,  and  gladly?"  the 
master  said :  "  Nautclmees  have  no  will,  no  choice  ; 
they  are  property  ;  they  are  to  provide  amusement  for 
the  people,  and  to  gratify  the  whims  of  those  who 
have  money  to  pay  for  them.  The  rajah  had  heard 
of  her  beauty  and  sent  money  to  buy  her,  and  she 
was  sent  to  him.  He  might  clothe  her  with  elegant 
robes  and  cover  her  with  jewels  if  pleased  with  her, 


THE  NAUTCIINEE'S  HOME.  79 

or  he  might  cast  her  aside  for  some  other  one  that 
suited  his  fancy.  As  a  creature  to  furnish  men 
amusement  this  was  her  risk.  As  to  her  soul,  she 
was  below  caste  ;  that  was  all." 

Morgan  left  the  place  with  a  troubled  heart ;  his 
reflections  were  very  bitter.  Was  this  the  price  paid 
for  the  pleasure  afforded  the  wealthy  people  on  Mala- 
bar Hill  2  Could  he,  an  American,  knowing  and  be- 
lieving in  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  as  writ- 
ten by  Jefferson,  consent  to  enjoy  pleasure  obtained 
from  such  a  system  and  built  upon  the  ruin  of  such 
creatures  ?  No !  his  soul  revolted  at  the  thought. 
He  returned  to  his  hotel  to  study  the  route  to  the 
north-west  most  likely  to  be  taken  by  the  dewan,  and 
to  plan  how  he  might  intercept  them  and  communi- 
cate with  the  maiden. 

Before  his  plans  were  formed  he  received  letters 
calling  him  to  immediately  prepare  for  a  grand  tiger 
hunt  in  the  north  of  India,  and  to  start  without  delay 
for  the  scene  of  action.  As  this  was  in  the  same  di- 
rection the  maiden  was  going,  lie  returned  word  to 
Captain  Grey  that  he  would  be  on  hand  according  to 
appointment. 


80  UEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE     M  0  T  H  E  R'S     SORROW. 

CAPTAIN  GREY  assumed  the  responsibility  of  col- 
lecting the  hunting  outfit  for  the  party,  and  this  par- 
ticularly pleased  Dennis  ;  for  it  gave  him  the  opportu- 
nity of  showing  the  bare-legged,  white-robed  Hindus 
how  majestically  he  could  give  orders — "  jist  loike  the 
ginerals  to  their  armies." 

As  several  days  would  elapse  before  all  could  be 
ready  Morgan  concluded  to  stop  on  the  way  and  see 
some  of  the  cities  of  historic  renown,  and  search  for 
a  clue  to  the  journeyings  of  Nemorarna. 

The  railroad  went  direct  from  Bombay  to  Allaha- 
bad on  the  Ganges,  where  it  joined  the  railroad  from 
Delhi  to  Calcutta. 

Morgan  knew  that  the  dewan  would  not  travel  by 
railroad,  but  by  the  time-honored  and  seclusive 
palanquins. 

Railroads  were  an  innovation  in  India,  and  no 
high  caste  person  would  patronize  them  at  first. 
Time  alone  would  destroy  their  prejudices.  In  1853 
there  were  only  twenty  and  a  half  miles  of  railroad 
in  India.  In  1887,  there  were  thirteen  thousand 
three  hundred  and  eighty-six  miles.  The  high 
caste  Brahmans  saw  this  development  of  European 


THE  MOTHER'S  SORROW.  81 

ideas  with  consternation,  and  to  them  the  railroad 
was  an  institution  of  evil ;  hence  they  would  not 
under  any  circumstances  patronize  it.  From  Alla- 
habad Morgan  went  to  Agra,  and  there  remained 
for  a  few  days  awaiting  the  summons  from  Captain 
Grey. 

He  remembered  that  Miss  Thompson  had  located 
in  Agra,  and,  curious  as  to  what  success  she  had  with 
the  women  of  India  in  their  zenanas,  determined  to 
call  upon  her.  The  zenana  is  to  the  Hindu  home 
what  the  harem  is  to  the  Mohammedan  home, 
that  is,  the  part  exclusively  devoted  to  the  women. 
He  had  an  excellent  excuse  ^for  visiting  Miss  Thomp- 
son, as  there  had  been  committed  to  his  care  several 
cordial  messages  to  her  from  her  friends  in  Bombay 
who  knew  that  he  would  only  too  willingly  deliver 
them.  He  also  bore  a  message  from  Dasee,  the  cult- 
ured Hindu  maiden  living  on  Malabar  Hill,  who 
was  deeply  interested  in  the  elevation  of  her  sex  in 
their  zenana  life.  She  looked  upon  all  that  were 
engaged  in  the  good  work  as  sisters. 

Mr.  Morgan  found  Miss  Thompson  happy  in  her 
work,  and  the  doors  of  the  lower  castes  were  being 
gradually  opened  to  her. 

She  found  it  to  be  exceedingly  difficult  to  gain  en- 
trance to  the  houses  of  the  high  caste  Hindus.  They 
were  excessively  scrupulous  in  every  religious  observ- 
ance, looking  upon  disrespect  to  husbands  with  hor- 
ror, and  avoiding  with  the  greatest  care  every  thing 
6 


82  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

that  might  defile  them.  They  would  endure  all 
manner  of  suffering  rather  than  be  touched  by  a 
man  not  of  their  own  household,  or  by  any  person  of 
lower  caste. 

The  strength  of  their  prejudices  was  seen  in  an 
incident  related  to  Miss  Thompson.  Several  Hindu 
ladies  of  high  caste  were  traveling  on  camels  along 
the  highway,  when  the  girth  of  one  of  the  saddles 
became  loosened,  and  the  lady,  partially  fast  to  the 
saddle,  was  thrown  under  the  awkward  beast.  An 
English  gentleman,  seeing  the  accident,  rushed  to  her 
rescue.  But  the  ladies  begged  him  not  to  pollute 
her  by  his  touch.  He  pleaded  to  save  her,  which  he 
could  easily  do  by  lifting  her  out  of  the  saddle,  but 
she  forbade  him  to  do  so,  preferring  to  die  rather  than 
be  saved  in  that  way.  The  camel  became  unman- 
ageable, and  the  woman  was  trampled  to  death.  Her 
devotion  to  caste  rules  received  the  hearty  approba- 
tion of  her  companions,  and  her  memory  was  blessed 
as  a  martyr  to  purity  and  devotion. 

Sometimes,  however,  Miss  Thompson  was  sent  for 
by  those  in  great  suffering,  and  as  the  fame  of  her 
skill  spread  the  calls  became  more  frequent.  She 
was  careful  not  to  touch  her  patients  unnecessarily, 
and  instead  of  giving  .them  her  medicines  informed 
them  of  the  remedies  to  be  obtained  by  people  of 
their  own  caste. 

By  her  attractive  manner  she  gradually  became  a 
favorite  in  the  zenanas,  where  her  conversations 


THE  MOTHER'S  SORROW.  83 

were  enjoyed  as  something  new  and  refreshing. 
Then  as  she  read  to  them  from  the  Bible  she  awak- 
ened their  astonishment  at  her  learning,  for  most  of 
the  high  caste  women  were  utterly  ignorant  of  books, 
and  were  afraid  that  some  misfortune  would  come 
upon  their  homes  if  they  were  found  with  books 
in  their  hands. 

She  told  Mr.  Morgan  that  at  times  she  suffered  in- 
tensely from  sympathy  for  the  deluded  people,  who 
so  constantly  violated  the  plainest  requirements  of 
nature,  and  suffered  the  inevitable  consequences,  in 
order  to  maintain  the  rules  of  caste. 

One  day  a  little  girl  came  to  the  missionary  asking 
her  to  come  and  see  her  sick  mother.  Miss  Thomp- 
son was  surprised  at  the  intelligence  of  the  child,  as 
she  displayed  in  all  her  movements  a  winning  sim- 
plicity and  affectionate  dependence  in  strong  contrast 
with  the  self-assertion  and  overbearing  manners  of  the 
boys.  She  at  once  went  with  the  little  messenger. 
After  walking  half  an  hour  they  came  to  the  open 
fields  in  front  of  a  poor  woman's  cottage.  The 
dwellings  of  the  Hindus  vary,  in  size  and  accom- 
modations, according  to  the  wealth  of  their  owners ; 
this  was  one  of  the  poorest,  containing  but  one 
room. 

The  cottage  faced  the  east,  with  entrance  a  little 
to  one  side  of  the  middle  of  the  front  wall.  Once 
a  week  every  Hindu  woman  smeared  her  room  and 
the  yard  of  her  dwelling  with  a  solution  of  cow 


84:  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

ordure.  When  this  was  done  she  ornamented  the  front 
of  the  door  with  the  form  of  a  lotus  flower  made  out 
of  a  solution  of  lime  or  chalk.  The  lotus  was  chosen 
because  emblematical  of  the  name  of  God ;  too  pure 
to  be  uttered,  but  supposed  to  bestow  a  magical  charm 
on  the  dwelling  upon  which  it  is  inscribed. 

A  single  glance  revealed  to  the  missionary  that  all 
the  requirements  of  Hindu  law  were  faithfully  ob- 
served about  this  cottage.  Through  the  open  door- 
way the  missionary  saw  the  sick  woman  reclining 
upon  a  mat.  By  her  side  a  healthy  little  babe  was 
sleeping.  On  the  floor,  close  by,  another  child  was 
playing.  The  children  were  girls. 

The  woman  was  still  beautiful,  although  sorrow 
had  sadly  marked  her  features.  As  she  saw  her 
visitor  a  bright  smile  illuminated  her  countenance, 
and  she  thanked  her  for  coming  so  soon. 

The  missionary  sat  by  her  side  and  wept  in  tender 
compassion  for  her  as  she  listened  to  the  story  of  her 
life.  Yet  her  story  was  a  common  one  ;  how  com- 
mon only  the  mothers  of  girls  in  India  know. 

She  said,  "  When  but  a  child  I  was  married  to  one 
of  the  noblest  of  high  caste  youths  just  after  he  had 
received  the  investiture  of  the  sacred  thread,  signify- 
ing his  entrance  into  all  the  duties  and  privileges  of 
the  caste  preserved  by  his  family  from  the  most  an- 
cient times.  He  was  a  youth  of  great  spirit,  and 
seemed  to  be  proud  of  his  little  wife ;  calling  me  his 
1  beautiful  blessing.' 


THE  MOTHER'S  SOKKOW.  85 

"  When  his  relatives  sought  a  wife  for  him  they 
required  of  her  certain  characteristics.  They  said  I 
possessed  all  of  them.  They  said  of  me :  '  She  is  free 
from  all  defects,  is  of  a  winsome  and  upright  nature, 
has  a  soft  and  melodious  voice,  her  name  is  pleasing 
to  the  ear,  her  motions  are  graceful,  her  features  are 
regular,  her  eyes  are  strong  and  bright,  her  muscles 
are  well  developed,  her  teeth  are  perfect,  her  hair  is 
rich  and  glossy,  and  she  is  very  healthy.'  The  astrol- 
ogers gave  me  a  good  recommendation,  such  as,  '  she 
will  be  the  mother  of  many  sons,  and  will  not  outlive 
her  husband  ; '  hence  great  happiness  was  looked  for 
in  our  marriage. 

"  From  the  time  of  the  marriage  until  I  was  fully 
developed  in  physical  powers  I  was  trained  by  my 
husband's  mother  to  prepare  every  kind  of  food  suit- 
able for  a  high  caste  Hindu  to  eat,  and  was  thoroughly 
instructed  how  to  keep  his  home.  Then  I  was  given 
to  him,  and  I  began  to  serve  him. 

"  Like  all  Hindus  he  was  very  desirous  to  behold 
the  face  of  a  son,  and  for  this  earnestly  besought  the 
favor  of  the  gods.  A  short  time  after  we  began  to 
live  together  I  visited  the  temple  of  Lakshina,  at- 
tended by  a  neighbor  who  was  the  mother  of  several 
sons.  I  took  a  cake  made  of  rice,  sugar,  and  ghee 
or  clarified  butter ;  also  a  fresh  cocoa-nut.  I  fervently 
offered  my  prayers  before  the  shrine ;  then  both  of 
us  spent  some  time  in  meditation  on  the  glorious 
progeny  of  gods  and  heroes,  after  which  my  com- 


86  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

panion  broke  the  cocoa-nut  and  poured  out  the  liquid 
as  an  offering  to  the  goddess.  We  returned  home,  and, 
with  my  husband's  household,  ate  the  rest  of  the  cocoa- 
nut  and  the  cake.  When  I  knew  that  I  would  become 
a  mother  I  went  again  to  the  temple,  accompanied  by 
the  same  friend,  also  by  my  father  and  husband. 

"  This  time  I  was  clothed  in  robes  of  spotless  white 
which  entirely  covered  me.  Several  Brahman  priests 
officiated  for  us.  We  took  oil,  lighted  tapers,  and 
flowers.  One  of  the  priests  took  the  oil,  poured  it  on 
a  lighted  lamp,  waved  it  over  his  head  and  uttered  the 
prayer :  '  O  thou  who  art  light,  thou  art  also  life  and 
seed.  Accept  our  sacrifice,  and  make  the  new  life  thou 
hast  created  in  secret  visible  in  beauty  and  strength 
and  power  of  intellect.'  After  this  we  gave  many 
valuable  presents.  As  we  returned  home  the  priest 
made  me  very  happy  by  saying,  '  Mayest  thou  have 
eight  sons,  and  may  thy  husband  survive  thee.' 

"  My  husband  repeated  to  me  this  law  of  Mann ; 
'  Through  a  son  a  man  conquers  the  world,  through 
a  son's  son  he  obtains  immortality,  but  through  his 
son's  grandson  he  gains  the  world  of  the  sun.'  My 
husband's  father  and  grandfather  were  still  living, 
and  if  I  possessed  a  son  their  joy  would  be  great 
through  the  blessings  it  would  assure  them. 

"  At  length  the  greatest  day  of  a  Hindu  woman's 
life  came  to  me — the  day  of  motherhood.  The 
woman  who  accompanied  me  to  the  temple,  the 
priest  who  had  blessed  me,  and  the  astrologer,  to  cast 


THE  MOTHER'S  SORROW.  87 

the  horoscope  for  my  child,  were  in  the  room  pray- 
ing. When  all  was  ready  the  attendants  waved  fire 
over  my  child,  and  put  on  its  lips  a  drop  of  honey  and 
butter  out  of  a  golden  spoon.  Then  my  husband 
came  and  looked  into  the  face  of  his  child ;  at  the 
same  time  he  took  a  piece  of  gold  in  his  hand, 
anointed  the  child's  forehead  with  clarified  butter 
which  had  been  first  presented  to  Brahma,  and  then 
offered  sacrifice  to  Brahma. 

"He  then  bound  a  string  of  nine  cotton  threads  with 
five  blades  of  durba  grass  around  the  baby's  wrist. 
The  durba  grass  signified  that  the  life  should  be 
made  more  perfect  by  the  five  daily  sacraments. 

"  The  astrologer  then  cast  the  horoscope  for  the 
child,  which  was  written  down  and  given  into  the 
keeping  of  the  father. 

"  O,  think  of  my  grief  and  pain,  in  that  moment  of 
awful  weakness,  to  hear  my  husband  utter  loud  im- 
precations, and  manifest  tokens  of  extreme  disappoint- 
ment and  anger.  Alas !  the  child  was  a  daughter. 
He  angrily  repeated  to  me  the  words  of  the  law : 
'  There  is  no  place  in  heaven  for  a  man  who  is  desti- 
tute of  male  offspring.'  In  that  moment,  when  I 
needed  the  most  tender  care,  every  one  turned  from 
me  with  aversion. 

"  In  front  of  the  house  many  neighbors  and  friends 
had  come  to  congratulate  my  husband.  Musicians 
were  there  to  make  melody,  and  confectioners  to 
scatter  sweetmeats  among  the  people.  But  my 


88  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTOHNEE. 

husband  went  to  the  door  and  announced  in  tones 
of  contempt,  *  Nothing  has  been  born  ! '  Then  he 
retired  to  his  room.  The  people  returned  to  their 
homes.  No  sweetmeats  were  scattered,  no  music 
given,  no  joy  manifested.  It  was  only  a  girl,  and  in 
their  estimation  a  girl  was  equivalent  to  nothing. 
But  I  could  not  help  loving  my  little  babe,  and  she 
grew  strong  and  happy,  notwithstanding  the  frowns 
and  taunts  of  the  older  people. 

"Two  years  later  I  was  again  about  to  become  a 
mother.  We  offered  more  valuable  presents  in  the 
temple.  I  purchased  rosaries  used  by  women  who 
had  borne  many  sons,  and  drank  teas  made  of  roots 
and  herbs  celebrated  for  their  virtues.  My  devotions 
were  assiduously  given  to  trees  and  to  those  deities  who 
bestowed  sons.  My  husband  declared  that  he  would 
take  away  my  ornaments  and  make  me  the  family 
drudge  if  I  did  not  give  him  a  son.  But  alas !  I  again 
gave  him  another  daughter.  His  people  now  uttered 
loud  and  severe  complaints  against  me,  and,  incensed 
by  their  complaints,  he  became  very  angry.  His 
grandfather  was  nearing  the  fulfillment  of  the  time 
allotted  to  man,  and  he  became  an  object  of  special 
pity  because  of  my  failure  to  give  him  honor  in  the 
other  world.  His  father  wept  at  the  thought  of  his 
losses,  and  my  husband  became  an  object  of  pity  to 
his  companions.  My  husband  declared  that  two  ca- 
lamities had  come  upon  him,  and  that  if  it  was  so 
again  I  should  be  his  wife  no  more.  This  threat 


THE  MOTHER'S  SOKKOW.  89 

tilled  me  with  horror.  The  third  time  I  became  a 
mother.  But  O,  sorrow  !  a  daughter  was  again  placed 
in  my  arms.  Then  my  husband  cast  me  out  and  mar- 
ried another ;  for  the  law  allowed  him  to  do  this.  The 
awful  severity  of  this  punishment  no  one  can  know 
but  those  whose  lives  are  bound  up  with  their  hus- 
bands. I  loved  my  husband  with  all  my  soul,  and  I 
love  him  to-day  as  fervently  as  ever.  I  had  always 
lived  in  luxury.  My  husband  was  very  wealthy,  and 
I  was  clothed  with  fine  raiment  and  decked  with 
costly  jewels,  and  had  many  servants  to  do  my  bidding. 
To  show  his  extreme  displeasure  he  stripped  me  of  all 
my  ornaments  and  placed  me  in  this  bare  and  com- 
fortless cottage.  Here  in  poverty  I  must  spend  the 
remaining  years  of  my  life  and  never  see  his  face 
again.  My  daughters  are  my  comfort,  and  they  bring 
smiles  that  drive  away  the  tears.  They  are  so  loving, 
winning,  and  beautiful  that,  if  I  had  my  choice,  I  be- 
lieve I  would  rather  live  just  as  I  am  with  them  than 
in  luxury  without  them. 

"When  I  was  placed  here  every  one  commended 
my  husband  for  his  act  of  separation.  They  accused 
me  of  having  committed  some  terrible  crime  in  a  pre- 
vious life — of  having  poisoned  a  husband,  or  done  some 
other  awful  deed — and  now  they  avoid  me  and  call  me 
accursed.  O  lady,  the  people  say  you  are  wise  and 
good,  and  that  you  teach  a  religion  that  comforts  the 
sorrowing.  Tell  me,  what  can  I  do?  Is  it  such  a 
curse  to  bear  daughters  ? " 


90  XEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Miss  Thompson  waited  until  the  woman  became 
calm,  then  told  her  of  her  own  mother's  household  in 
distant  America ;  her  mother  a  widow  and  all  her  chil- 
dren daughters.  Upon  them  no  scorn  was  cast,  no  un- 
usual burdens  heaped,  for  the  religion  of  Jesus  taught 
them  that  girls  were  the  equals  of  boys  before  the 
Lord,  and  daughters  in  America  were  loved  and  hon- 
ored alike  witli  the  sons.  The  feeling  of  inferiority 
the  daughters  in  India  possessed  was  a  degrading 
prejudice,  offensive  to  the  teachings  and  the  will  of 
the  true  God.  Then  she  told  the  story  of  Jesus, 
God's  Son,  sent  to  save  the  world  from  its  sin  and  the 
horrible  darkness  of  its  prejudices.  The  story  of 
Jesus  proved  a  balm  to  the  wounded  heart,  and  the 
poor  woman  eagerly  received  every  word.  AVhen  at 
length  Miss  Thompson  departed  the  woman  begged 
her  to  come  again,  and  tell  her  more  of  the  words 
of  life. 

When  Miss  Thompson  arrived  at  the  mission  house 
she  found  Mr.  Morgan  awaiting  her  coming  to  take 
her  on  a  visit  to  the  Taj  Mahal. 


MOST  BEAUTIFUL  BUILDING  IN  THE  WOULD.      91 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  MOST  BEAUTIFUL  BUILDING  IN  THE  WORLD. 

THREE  miles  from  Agra,  in  the  midst  of  a  spacious 
garden,  stands  the  Taj  Mahal ;  without  doubt  the  most 
beautiful  building  in  the  world.  A  trip  to  India  is 
not  complete  without  a  visit  to  this  famous  shrine. 
Morgan  was  exceedingly  anxious  to  see  it,  and  the  de- 
light of  the  visit  would  be  increased  by  the  respon- 
sive appreciation  of  so  cultured  an  observer  as  Miss 
Thompson  for  his  companion.  He  was  thrilled  with 
the  thought  that  on  this  occasion  she  would  be  to  him 
the  personification  of  American  taste,  and  together  it 
would  be  America  bowing  before  the  memorial  of 
Mohammedan  love. 

Mounting  their  palanquins,  they  were  quickly  con- 
veyed to  the  gate  by  the  fleet-footed  coolie  bearers, 
where  they  alighted,  and,  dismissing  the  coolies,  lei- 
surely walked  about  the  grounds.  They  had  many 
things  to  talk  about,  and,  surrounded  by  the  trees, 
flowers,  and  fountains  of  the  garden,  they  spoke  of 
America,  the  vojage,  their  companions,  their  pur- 
poses, and  the  wonderful  building  before  them.  A 
guide-book  told  them  that  it  was  designed  by  a  French- 
man and  built  by  the  Mogul  emperor  Shah  Jehan  in 
honor  of  his  beloved  wife,  Moomtaj-i-Mahal. 


92  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

As  they  sat  looking  at  its  glistening  white  walls 
Miss  Thompson  said  :  "  What  strange  contrasts  this 
building  suggests  !  Designed  by  a  Frenchman,  built 
by  a  Mohammedan,  the  peerless  pride  of  a  Hindu 
land,  built  in  honor  of  a  woman  where  women  are 
despised.  She  was  a  ruler  where  her  sex  are  en- 
slaved. She  died  giving  birth  to  a  daughter;  a  fact 
of  great  repugnance  to  the  dominant  sex.  While  she 
ruled  the  kingdom  her  husband  spent  his  time  in 
revelry  with  drunken  companions,  and  yet  after  her 
death  he  lavished  the  wealth  of  his  kingdom  in  the 
magnificent  attempt  to  honor  her  name.  She  only 
knew  Christianity  as  it  /was  taught  by  the  Roman 
Catholics,  and  she  hated  it  with  all  the  ardor  of  her 
strong  nature.  On  the  end  of  the  tomb  facing  the 
entrance  there  is  inscribed,  amid  the  flowers  and  jew- 
els, a  prohibition  and  a  prayer  against  the  followers 
of  Christ,  calling  them  by  the  contemptuous  word 
'  kah'rs.'  The  prayer  reads,  '  Defend  us  from  the 
tribe  of  kafirs.'  The  emperor's  orders  were  that  none 
but  men  of  Mohammedan  faith  were  to  be  permitted 
within  these  precincts  or  to  draw  near  her  tomb,  and 
express  care  was  to  be  observed  that  no  Christian  foot 
approached  it ;  yet  to-day  it  is  the  Christian  nation 
that  protects  the  tomb,  that  honors  the  spirit  of  the 
emperor's  ardent  devotion,  that  holds  woman  in  her 
true,  loving,  exalted  station,  and  makes  this  tomb  a 
temple  for  all  mankind  to  visit  as  a  memorial  of  the 
true  and  just  honor  granted  one  woman  in  India." 


MOST  BEAUTIFUL  BUILDING  IN  THE  WORLD.      93 

As  she  concluded  Mr.  Morgan  said,  "  Why,  Miss 
Thompson,  you  are  eloquent."  "  No,"  she  replied  ; 
"  it  was  only  an  eloquent  subject."  Mr.  Morgan 
said,  "  I  should  have  enjoyed  seeing  this  during  the 
emperor's  life-time,  when  a  light  from  perfumed  oil 
in  golden  lamps  fell  upon  the  tomb  day  and  night, 
and  the  choicest  of  flowers  were  arranged  daily  in 
garlands  to  adorn  it ;  when  the  most  skillful  Mogul 
musicians  filled  the  air  with  tenderest  strains  of  mel- 
ody ;  when  five  times  every  day  the  muezzin's  call  to 
prayer  resounded  from  these  minarets,  and  a  eunuch 
of  high  station,  with  two  thousand  splendidly  attired 
Sepoys,  kept  guard  that  no  unworthy  foot  came  near." 

"  But,  remember,"  said  Miss  Thompson,  "  if  you 
had  then  attempted  to  approach  the  tomb  those  Sepoys 
would  have  killed  you  without  mercy  as  a  sacrilegious 
kafir.  For  my  part,  I  prefer  visiting  it  now,  know- 
ing that  I  am  perfectly  safe  in  doing  so." 

Just  then  a  Mohammedan  teacher  of  the  law  passed 
near  them,  and  Mr.  Morgan,  calling  him,  asked  if  he 
could  describe  the  place  to  them.  The  dervish  bowed 
until  the  ends  of  his  turban  touched  the  ground,  then 
standing  erect,  with  his  arms  folded,  repeated  his 
often-spoken  description,  as  follows  : 

"  The  entrance  to  these  spacious  gardens  is  built 
of  red  sandstone  inlaid  with  texts  from  the  Koran 
wrought  in  white  marble.  The  walls  surrounding  the 
garden  are  of  the  same  material.  The  gate  is  in  size 
and  beauty  a  palace,  while  the  arched  colonnades 


94  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

running  all  along  the  interior  of  the  wall  add  to  the 
general  magnificence  of  the  place.  The  garden  paths 
are  paved  with  slabs  of  freestone  arranged  in  fanciful 
devices.  The  palms,  banyan,  bamboo,  tamarind,  and 
various  fruit-trees  are  so  arranged  as  to  shade  the 
walks,  attract  the  eye,  and  fill  the  air  with  sweetest 
odors,  while  the  beds  of  flowers  of  loveliest  hues 
bloom  in  profusion,  so  as  to  greet  the  observer's  eyes 
on  every  hand. 

"  The  central  avenue,  from  the  gate  to  the  Taj,  is 
a  third  of  a  mile  in  length,  with  a  marble  reservoir 
in  the  middle  about  forty  feet  square,  with  five  fount- 
ains, one  in  the  center  and  in  each  corner.  There  is 
also  a  system  of  fountains,  numbering  eighty-four, 
along  the  paths,  and  these  are  bordered  by  rows  of 
dark  Italian  cypress-trees.  The  garden  is  the  resort 
of  many  sweet  songsters,  and  is  redolent  with  the 
odor  of  roses,  oranges,  lemons,  and  tamarind  trees. 

"  The  Taj  stands  upon  a  double  terrace.  The  first 
is  made  of  red  sandstone,  is  twenty  feet  high  and  a 
thousand  feet  broad.  On  the  two  extremities  of  this 
terrace  are  two  buildings  exactly  the  same  in  size  and 
shape.  The  one  on  the  left  side  is  a  mosque  used  for 
service,  as  it  allows  the  faces  of  the  worshipers  to  be 
set  toward  the  tomb  of  their  prophet  at  Mecca.  The 
one  on  the  right  is  a  rest-house  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  visitors  who  come  from  various  parts  of  the 
world  to  see  the  Taj,  and  who  here  receive  free  quar- 
ters as  long  as  they  choose  to  remain." 


MOST  BEAUTIFUL  BUILDING  IN  THE  WORLD.      95 

"  Midway  between  these  two  buildings  is  the  sed- 
ond  terrace,  fifteen  feet  high  and  three  hundred  feet 
square. 

"  On  the  four  corners  of  this  terrace  stand  four 
minarets.  This  terrace  and  the  minarets,  as  also  the 
Taj,  which  rises  up  in  the  center  of  this  square,  are  of 
the  finest  white  marble  inlaid  with  jewels.  The  Taj  is 
square,  with  truncated  corners,  and  is  a  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  in  diameter.  The  dome  is  seventy  feet  in 
diameter,  and  is  two  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  high. 
On  the  top  of  the  dome  is  a  golden  spire  thirty  feet 
high. 

"  A  Persian  manuscript  preserved  in  the  Taj  gives 
an  account  of  the  stones  used  in  its  construction. 
'  The  white  marble  was  brought  from  Jeypore,  the 
yellow  marble  from  the  Nerbudda,  the  black  from 
Charkoli ;  the  red  sandstone  from  Dholepore  ;  crystal 
from  China  ;  jasper  from  the  Punjab  ;  carnelian  from 
Bagdad  ;  turquoises  from  Thibet ;  agate  from  Temen  ; 
lapis  lazuli  from  Ceylon  ;  diamonds  from  Punah  ;  rock 
spar  from  Nerbudda  ;  loadstone  from  Gwalior  ;  ame- 
thyst and  onyx  from  Persia  ;  chalcedony  from  Yilliat, 
and  sapphires  from  Lauka.' ': 

As  the  dervish  paused  Miss  Thompson  exclaimed, 
"Only  think  that  all  these  materials  were  brought  on 
elephants  or  camels,  by  caravans  !  What  time  and 
labor  it  must  have  required  !  " 

The  dervish  calmly  answered,  "  It  required  twenty 
thousand  men  twenty-two  years  to  build  it,  and  it 


96  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

cost   a   sum  equal   to    sixty  millions    of    American 
dollars."     % 

The  dervish  now  led  them  into  the  vault  below  the 
central  hall,  where  the  real  sarcophagi,  containing  the 
bodies  of  the  emperor  and  empress,  were  kept.  They 
then  returned  to  the  rotunda,  where  duplicates  of  the 
real  sarcophagi  were  placed  directly  over  the  real,  and 
officially  representing  them.  This  is  the  place  which 
for  architectural  splendor  has  no  equal.  The  floor  is 
of  polished  marble  and  jasper.  The  wainscoting  is 
of  sculptured  marble  tablets  inlaid  with  flowers 
formed  of  precious  stones.  The  windows  or  screens 
are  of  marble  filigree  richly  wrought  in  various  pat- 
terns, and  admitting  only  a  faint  and  delicate  light 
into  the  gorgeous  apartment,  which  is  lost  in  the 
heights  of  the  lofty  dome.  The  tombs  are  sur- 
rounded by  a  magnificent  octagonal  screen  about  six 
feet  high,  with  doors  on  the  sides.  The  open  tracery 
in  this  white  marble  screen  is  wrought  into  beautiful 
flowers,  such  as  lilies,  irises,  and  others.  The  borders 
of  the  screen  are  inlaid  with  precious  stones,  repre- 
senting flowers,  executed  with  such  wonderful  perfec- 
tion that  the  forms  wave  as  in  nature,  and  the  hues 
and  shades  of  the  stems,  leaves,  and  flowers  appear  as 
real  almost  as  the  beauties  which  they  represent. 
These  ornamental  designs  are  so  carefully  and  ex- 
quisitely executed  that  several  of  the  flowers  have  as 
many  as  eighty  different  stones  entering  into  their 
composition,  all  polished  uniformly  with  the  marble, 


MOST  BEAUTIFUL  BUILDING  IN  THE  WORLD.     97 

into  which  they  are  so  delicately  inserted  that  you 
can  hardly  trace  their  joinings.  They  seem  as  though 
they  had  grown  there,  instead  of  being  separately  pre- 
pared and  placed  in  their  positions  by  the  hands  of  the 
"  cunning  workmen  "  who  designed  and  executed  this 
imperishable  and  magnificent  memorial  of  human 
love.  But  the  richest  art  is  displayed  on  the  cenotaph 
of  the  empress  within  the  screen.  Upon  her  tomb, 
according  to  universal  Mohammedan  usage,  is  a  slate 
or  tablet  of  marble,  while  on  the  emperors'  is  a  small 
box  representing  a  pen-holder.  These  always  distin- 
guish a  man's  or  a  woman's  grave  among  these 
people,  the  idea  being  that  a  woman's  heart  is  a  tablet 
on  which  lordly  man  can  write  whatever  pleases  him 
best.  And  this  mark  of  feminine  inferiority  was 
not  spared  even  the  beloved  occupant  of  the  Taj 
Mahal. 

But  her  tomb,  how  beautiful!  The  snow-white 
marble  is  inlaid  with  flowers  so  delicately  formed 
that  they  look  like  embroidery  on  white  satin,  so  ex- 
quisitely is  the  mosaic  executed  in  carnelian,  blood- 
stone, agate,  jasper,  turqnois,  lapis  lazuli,  and  other 
precious  stones.  Thirty-five  different  specimens  of 
carnelian  are  employed  in  forming  a  single  leaf  of  a 
carnation  ;  and  in  one  flower,  not  larger  than  a  silver 
dollar,  as  many  as  twenty-three  different  stones  can 
be  counted.  Yet  these  are  but  specimens  of  the 
beauties  that  are  spread  in  unparalleled  profusion 
over  this  entire  chamber.  Indeed,  Long  asserts  that  he 


98  ,  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

found  one  flower  upon  her  tomb  to  be  composed  of 
no  less  than  three  hundred  different  stones.  Her 
name  and  date  of  death,  with  her  virtuous  qualities, 
are  recorded  in  the  same  costly  manner,  in  gems  of 
Arabic — the  sacred  language  of  the  Mohammedan — 
on  the  side  of  her  tomb.  The  emperor's  tomb  is 
plainer  than  the  other ;  has  no  passage  from  the  Koran, 
but  merely  a  similar  mosaic  work  of  flowers  and  his 
name,  with  the  date  of  his  death,  upon  it.  Over  all 
this  richness  and  beauty  rises  the  magnificent  dome, 
which  is  so  constructed  as  to  contain  an  echo  more 
pure,  prolonged,  and  harmonious  than  any  other  in 
the  world,  so  far  as  known.  While  they  were  gaz- 
ing upon  the  wonderful  beauties  of  the  scene  the 
dervish  went  into  the  vault  below  and  began  to  play 
on  a  flute.  As  the  sound  rose  into  the  dome,  and 
came  back  in  reverberations  from  a  hundred  arched 
alcoves,  it  seemed  to  breathe  the  notes  of  angels.  It 
was  so  delicate,  so  sweet,  so  soul-stirring,  that  no 
earthly  sound  exceeded  it.  It  was  to  the  ear  what 
the  building  was  to  the  eye.  It  seemed  to  haunt  the 
distant  alcoves  of  the  dome,  and  to  fall  upon  the 
listeners  in  gentle  showers.  It  seemed  to  merge  itself 
in  the  soft  light  of  the  apartment,  and  awaken  the 
sweetest  fancies  in  the  minds  of  the  hearers.  It  was 
the  spirit  of  the  Taj ;  full  of  love,  tenderness,  sweet- 
ness. Miss  Thompson  broke  the  quiet  by  remark- 
ing, "  Love  was  its  author,  beauty  its  inspiration." 
The  dervish  ceased  his  playing,  led  them  out  of  the 


MOST  BEAUTIFUL  BUILDING  IN  THE  WORLD.     99 

building,  and  in  silence  received  his  reward  and 
withdrew. 

Little  was  said  by  the  Americans,  but,  with  spirits 
subdued  and  tranquilized  by  the  wonderful  charm 
of  the  place,  they  thought  of  the  amazing  skill  that 
could  invent  and  construct  a  building  expressive  of 
so  much  sentiment,  and  capable  of  arousing  in  be- 
holders such  sympathetic  appreciation. 

They  passed  out  of  the  gate,  entered  their  pal- 
anquins, and  soon  arrived  in  Agra. 

As  Mr.  Morgan  bade  Miss  Thompson  good  night 
at  the  door  of  the  mission  house  he  thought,  "  The 
Taj  is  the  most  beautiful  tribute  ever  paid  a  woman's 
memory  by  the  art  of  man,  but  God  only  can  fully 
reward  a  woman  for  her  noble  life  who,  like  Miss 
Thompson,  has  left  home,  friends,  race,  and  civiliza- 
tion, to  be  despised,  forsaken,  ill-treated,  and,  per- 
haps, to  die,  a  sacrifice  in  order  to  win  some  poor 
ignorant  souls  from  a  life  of  sin  to  the  cleansing, 
helping,  saving  arms  of  Jesus.  Miss  Thompson  is 
nobler  and  more  worthy  of  honor  than  Moomtaj-i- 
Mahal  in  all  her  glory." 

When  Mr.  Morgan  reached  his  bungalow  he  was 
handed  a  letter  which  read  as  follows : 

"  DEAR  MORGAN  :  Come  to  Umballa  at  once. 
Every  thing  is  ready — elephants,  company,  tigers, 
and  all.  Bring  your  splendid  American  rifle,  and 
prove  its  value  upon  tigers.  Yours,  etc.,  GREY." 


100  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Looking  at  the  train  schedule,  he  saw  that  lie 
could  catch  the  night  train.  Packing  his  baggage 
and  paying  his  bill,  he  hastened  to  the  depot.  He 
had  just  time  enough  to  write  a  short  note  to  Miss 
Thompson,  explaining  his  hasty  departure,  when  the 
cars  came  rushing  into  the  station.  In  a  few  mo- 
ments the  signal  was  given,  and  the  train  was  rapidly 
whirled  toward  the  north-west. 


KlSMDT.  101 


CHAPTER  X. 

KISMUT. 

MOOTIE  was  a  little  maiden  as  happy  as  the  days 
were  long.  She  was  constantly  in  motion,  running, 
laughing,  playing,  and  pleasing  her  parents  by  her 
bright  ways.  Like  all  Hindu  maidens,  she  was  very 
fond  of  ornaments,  and  wore  a  number  of  rings  on 
her  ankles,  and  arms,  in  her  nose  and  ears,  and  neck- 
laces around  her  throat.  She  was  also  fond  of  rib- 
bons, and  gay  colors,  with  which  she  paraded  her 
taste  before  the  visitors,  at  her  father's  home.  But 
her  tenth  birthday  approached,  and  it  would  have 
been  a  disgrace  if  her  father  should  not  obtain  her  a 
husband  before  another  year  passed.  The  time  had 
come  for  her  childhood  to  end. 

Her  father  proceeded  to  find  a  man  of  the  same 
caste  and  class,  to  whom  he  could  marry  his  little 
Mootie. 

It  was  not  the  custom  for  a  girl  to  have  any  choice 
in  such  a  matter,  or  even  to  see  her  husband  until 
the  time  for  the  wedding  arrived. 

Mootie  was  delighted  with  the  idea  of  being  mar- 
ried. She  had  seen  her  sister  married,  and  remem- 
bered how  joyful  the  occasion  was  and  how  sweet 
the  confectionery  tasted. 


102  NEMORAMA  THE  KlUTOHNEE. 

She  would  then  have  a  large  party  and  a  great  feast, 
arid  receive  new  and  brilliant  clothes  ;  she  could  put 
on  all  her  ornaments,  and,  besides,  have  many  more 
given  her,  and,  furthermore,  would  be  envied  by  all 
the  girls  with  whom  she  played  from  earliest  child- 
hood. She  knew  nothing  of  the -awful  realities  to 
follow,  which  she  would  be  doomed  to  endure. 

In  choosing  a  husband  for  his  little  daughter,  the 
father  might  either  marry  her  to  some  one  of  suitable 
age  who  would  take  her  to  his  own  house,  or  he  might 
marry  her  to  one  of'  the  Brahmans  who  went  about 
the  country  marrying  girls  for  a  sum  of  money  and 
then  departing,  leaving  them  with  their  fathers  all 
their  lives.  Some  of  these  Brahmans  in  this  way 
would  marry  as  many  as  a  hundred  girls,  and  at  his 
death  they  would  be  real  widows  though  they  would 
never  see  him  except  on  that  one  occasion.  It  was 
an  advantage  to  be  allied  to  the  family  of  a  Brahman. 
It  cost  less  money  than  the  other  way,  and  the  father 
ever  after  had  the  advantage  of  his  daughter's  service. 
He  also  had  the  pleasure  of  feeling  he  had  done  his 
duty,  and  thus  retained  the  respect  of  his  neighbors. 

JVIootie's  sister  had  been  married  in  this  way  and 
another  daughter  was  not  needed  at  home.  Mootie 
was  therefore  married  to  a  youth  of  similar  caste  and 
clan,  who  was  just  twice  her  age. 

The  brilliancy  of  the  wedding  was  all  she  could  de- 
sire. So  soon  as  the  marriage  ceremony  was  over  she 
bade  farewell  to  parents  and  friends  and  went  to  live 


KISMUT.  103 

in  her  linsband's  home,  to  be  trained  by  his  mother  to 
know  and  satisfy  his  every  wish.  This  period  of 
tuition  would  last  for  a  period  of  six  years,  when 
she  would  be  given  to  her  husband  to  serve  him  as  his 
wife. 

The  house  to  which  the  little  bride  was  taken,  like 
all  Hindu  houses  of  the  better  sort,  was  divided  into 
two  parts.  One  of  these,  the  outer,  was  light  and 
airy,  with  a  broad  veranda  in  front,  and  a  pleasant 
yard.  This  was  the  part  occupied  by  the  men. 

The  inner  part  was  framed  for  seclusion,  being  dark 
and  close,  without  veranda  or  yard.  This  was  the  ze- 
nana, or  the  part  occupied  by  the  women.  Thus  far 
in  her  life  Mootie  had  never  been  restrained,  for  little 
children  went  every-where,  but  now,  as  a  married 
person,  she  was  restricted  to  the  zenana,  and  she  sadly 
learned  that  the  happy  marriage  was  the  beginning 
of  a  life  of  toil  and  privation. 

She  was  now  required  to  be  scrupulously  exact  in 
all  she  did  or  said,  and  instead  of  the  sweet  loving 
smiles  of  her  mother  she  saw  the  stern  face  and  felt 
the  severe  blows  of  the  mother-in-law.  In  a  Hindu 
home  the  mother-in-law  was  honored  as  the  ruler  of 
the  zenana,  and  she  sustained  her  position  by  the 
most  excessive  exactions  of  toil  and  respect  from  the 
other  females  of  the  house. 

Mootie's  life  now  became  a  burden,  and  she  shed 
many  tears  over  her  disappointment ;  but  she  learned 
quickly  how  to  cook  her  husband's  food,  to  anticipate 


104  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

his  wants,  to  serve  him  at  the  table,  and  to  observe 
the  proper  deportment  before  him. 

She  was  taught  this  law  from  the  Shaster:  "If  a 
man  goes  on  a  journey  his  wife  shall  not  divert  herself 
by  play,  nor  shall  see  any  public  show,  nor  shall  laugh, 
nor  shall  dress  herself  in  jewels  or  fine  clothes,  nor 
hear  music,  nor  shall  sit  at  the  window,  nor  shall 
behold  any  thing  choice  and  rare,  but  shall  fasten 
well  the  house-door,  and  remain  private,  and  shall  not 
eat  any  dainty  food,  and  shall  not  blacken  her  eyes 
with  powder,  and  shall  not  view  her  face  in  a 
mirror ;  she  shall  never  amuse  herself  in  any  such 
agreeable  employment  during  the  absence  of  her 
husband." 

She  was  also  taught  this  law  :  "  When  in  the  pres- 
ence of  her  husband,  a  woman  should  keep  her  eyes 
upon  her  master  and  be  ready  to  receive  his  com- 
mands. When  he  speaks  she  must  be  quiet,  and  list- 
en to  nothing  else  besides.  When  he  calls  she  must 
leave  every  thing  else  and  attend  upon  him  alone.  A 
woman  has  no  other  god  upon  earth  but  her  husband. 
The  most  excellent  of  all  good  works  that  she  can 
perform  is  to  gratify  him  with  the  strictest  obedience. 
This  should  be  her  only  devotion.  Though  he  be 
aged,  infirm,  dissipated,  a  drunkard,  or  a  debauchee, 
she  must  still  regard  him  as  her  god.  She  must 
serve  him  with  all  her  might,  obeying  him  in  all 
things,  spying  no  defects  in  his  character,  and  giving 
him  no  cause  for  disquiet.  If  he  laughs,  she  must 


KlSMDT.  105 

also  laugh ;  if  lie  weeps,  she  must  also  weep  ;  if  he 
sings,  she  must  be  in  an  ecstasy." 

She  was  also  taught  that,  if  faithful  in  all  things, 
she  would  be  permitted  to  go  to  the  same  heaven 
and  serve  him  there  ;  but  if  unfaithful  or  negligent 
she  would  never  enter  heaven  at  all. 

Mootie  tried  to  fulfill  these  conditions,  and  when  the 
time  of  her  training  drew  to  a  close  she  had  the  sat- 
isfaction of  knowing  that  she  could  prepare  his  food 
to  suit  him,  and  could  put  him  to  sleep  by  softly 
rubbing  the  soles  of  his  feet  with  the  palms  of  her 
hands. 

When  sixteen  years  of  age,  she  took  her  place  in 
serving  him  as  his  wife.  He  was  of  a  kind  and  gen- 
erous disposition,  and  treated  her  tenderly.  He  ac- 
cepted all  her  services,  and  being  made  comfortable 
by  her  exertion  smiled  graciously  upon  her.  She 
even  won  his  love.  Released  from  the  bondage  to 
the  mother-in-law  the  sunshine  again  came  into  her 
life. 

She  was  content  to  stand  near  him  while  lie  ate, 
and,  when  he  had  finished,  to  take  what  he  left  011 
his  plate  into  another  room  and  eat  it  as  her  portion. 
She  was  allowed  to  again  wear  ornaments,  and  dec- 
orated sarees  and  other  handsome  clothes.  This 
pleased  him,  and  was  one  of  the  greatest  delights  of 
her  life. 

Mootie  was  a  beautiful  young  woman.  Her  eyes 
were  large  and  expressive.  Not  with  the  brightness 


106  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

betokening  self-reliance  and  courage,  but  a  soft, 
liquid  expression,  full  of  tenderness  and  affection. 
Her  hair,  of  which  she  was  very  proud,  was  long  and 
glossy,  and  she  bound  it  around  with  strings  of 
ornaments.  It  was  the  crown  to  her  beauty.  She 
was  greatly  admired  by  her  husband,  and  the  pros- 
pect of  a  very  happy  life  opened  before  her. 

But,  alas !  suddenly  the  bright  vision  faded,  and 
the  .dark  clouds  of  adversity  rushed  upon  her  path- 
way. 

Her  husband  came  home  one  day  in  great  pain  and 
weariness,  and  as  she  saw  the  flush  on  his  cheeks 
she  knew  he  had  the  fever.  She  fervently  offered 
her  prayers  to  the  gods,  bestowed  large  gifts  at  their 
shrines,  and  nursed  him  as  gently  as  she  could,  but 
all  was  of  no  avail.  He  died. 

Her  heart  was  filled  with  the  keenest  distress. 
Gladly  would  she  have  followed  him  to  the  fu- 
neral pyre,  and  have  been  burned  with  him,  and 
thus  triumphantly  enter  heaven  by  his  side ;  but  the 
laws  of  the  English  rulers  forbade  this  sacrifice. 
She  was  doomed  to  pass  the  rest  of  her  life  a 
Hindu  widow ,  to  show  by  menial  service  and 
wretchedness  of  life  the  desolate  state  of  her  broken 
career.  A  Hindu  widow  is  an  object  of  great 
pity.  The  beautiful  and  cheerful  Mootie  was  only 
seventeen  years  of  age  when  this  sorrow  came 
upon  her. 
'  Immediately  upon  the  death  of  her  husband,  the 


A   HJXDU  WIDOW. 


107 

women,  led  by  her  motlier-iu-la\v,  set  upon  her 
and  cursed  her  with  the  most  bitter  invectives,  as 
being  the  cause  of  this  awful  calamity  to  their 
house. 

Her  fine  clothes  were  stripped  from  her,  and  a 
coarse  brown  garment,  significant  of  her  degradation, 
was  given  her.  All  ornaments,  the  gifts  of  her  loving 
husband,  were  taken  from  her,  for  she  was  never  to 
wear  an  ornament  again.  Her  beautiful  hair  was  cut 
off,  and  her  head  shaved,  and  as  long  as  she  lived  it 
was  to  be  shaven  once  every  two  weeks.  She  was  then 
given  the  drudgery  of  the  zenana  to  do,  and  allowed 
only  one  meal  a  day.  If  she  rebelled  against  this 
she  was  threatened  with  severe  punishment,  and 
she  was  continually  watched  as  a  desperate  thing  of 
evil.  She  was  ordered  to  remain  in  close  confine- 
ment in  the  zenana,  so  that  no  man  should  see  her 
face  and  that  she  should  not  speak  to  any  one  except 
her  nearest  relations.  If  a  man  should  see  her  he 
would  consider  it  a  bad  omen.  If  she  should  cross  his 
path  in  the  morning  he  would  turn  back  to  his  house. 
The  change  was  so  sudden  and  terrible  that  she 
could  hardly  realize  for  a  time  its  full  meaning.  She 
was  taunted  on  every  hand,  deprived  of  all  that 
made  life  pleasant,  and,  utterly  crushed  by  cruel  mis- 
fortune, knew  not  what  to  do.  Sometimes  the  accu- 
mulation of  miseries  made  her  brain  reel. 

She  thought  to  escape  from  the  zenana — but  what 
then  ?  No  one  would  receive  her.  Even  the  lowest 


108  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

caste  people  would  deny  her  their  friendship ;  she 
could  only  find  rest  in  suicide,  or  yield  to  the  exam- 
ple of  some  in  embracing  a  life  of  shame. 

But  her  mind  would  not  allow  her  to  think  seri- 
ously of  suicide,  for  the  prospect  beyond  this  life  was 
a  thousand-fold  more  horrible  than  the  present.  She 
could  not  enter  a  life  of  shame,  because  she  had 
always  been  pure  in  heart,  and  no  amount  of  cruelty 
could  drive  her  to  sacrifice  her  honor.  What  could 
she  do  ? 

One  day  the  cruel  taunts  and  blows  were  more  than 
she  could  bear,  and  she  fled.  Having  once  fled  she 
was  afraid  to  return,  so  she  ran  into  the  jungle  to  die 
all  alone,  or  be  at  the  mercy  of  the  wild  beasts.  Who 
would  have  known  her  as  the  once  handsome  Mootie  ! 

Her  eyes  were  red,  and  cheeks  bloated  from  excess- 
ive weeping,  her  head  was  shaven  and  uncovered, 
and  she  wore  only  a  single  brown  gown  upon  her  body, 
once  so  plump,  but  now  fast  becoming  emaciated 
through  deprivation  of  food.  She  rushed  into  the 
jungle  near  her  home,  and  with  rapid  tread  pressed  on 
her  way.  She  thought  they  were  pursuing  her,  and 
all  day  she  fled,  until  her  feet,  bleeding  from  contact 
with  stones,  roots,  and  thistles,  refused  to  carry  her 
farther.  Almost  famished  she  sank  helpless  to  the 
ground. 

When  she  had  rested  awhile  the  instinct  of  self-pre- 
servation aroused  her.  From  a  little  brook  that  flowed 
near  by  she  bathed  her  wounds,  and  quenched  her 


KlSMUT.  109 

thirst.  Seeing  berries  growing  by  the  stream,  she 
plucked  them  and  satisfied  the  cravings  of  hanger. 
As  her  strength  returned,  she  noticed  the  light  grow- 
ing dimmer,  and  that  night  would  soon  be  upon  her 
with  all  its  horrors.  At  the  thought  of  the  tigers 
that  roamed  the  jungle  she  felt  a  terror  almost  as 
great  as  at  the  thought  of  the  punishments  at  home, 
and  she  looked  for  some  place  in  which  she  might 
hide  from  such  foes.  She  soon  found  an  aperture  in 
the  rocks,  into  which  she  crept,  and  by  wedging 
stones  into  the  opening  from  the  inside  felt  secure 
from  foes  during  the  nijrht. 

o  s 

As  the  darkness  became  denser  the  jungle  seemed 
to  be  filled  with  millions  of  insects,  which  kept  up  a 
continual  noise.  She  could  not  sleep  in  such  strange 
surroundings,  nor  could  she  ward  off  the  mosquitoes 
that  persisted  in  stinging  her  with  their  sharp  lances. 

Her  fear  increased  when  she  heard  the  cry  of  a 
hungry  tiger  scenting  her  from  afar.  As  he  came 
nearer  she  wedged  the  stones  the  tighter  in  the  open- 
ing of  her  retreat.  With  eager  ferocity  he  put  his 
nose  to  the  rocks,  sniffed  the  atmosphere  laden 
with  her  breath,  then  gave  a  roar  that  resounded 
throughout  the  jungle,  and  almost  made  poor  Mootie 
mad  with  fright.  It  was  so  loud  and  fierce  that 
it  seemed  to  shake  the  rocks  about  her.  She 
felt  against  her  cheeks  the  hot  glow  of  his  breath 
coming  through  the  interstices  between  the  stones. 
Then  with  his  great  claws  he  scratched  the  stones, 


110  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

and  growled  with  rage  as  he  failed  to  move 
them. 

Sometimes  he  would  lie  down,  and  with  both  paws 
try  to  remove  the  stones,  then  he  would  get  up  and 
walk  to  and  fro,  growling  savagely  all  the  time. 
Then  he  would  strike  at  the  stones  to  push  them 
from  their  places.  But  Mootie  did  not  move.  She 
hardly  dared  breathe.  With  stiffened  muscles  slue 
pressed  her  weight  upon  the  props,  keeping  the  stones 
in  their  places.  And  with  pitiful  yearning  prayed  for 
the  coming  of  the  day.  She  did  not  think  of  her 
aching  hands  or  her  bleeding  feet,  and  the  noise 
and  stings  of  the  mosquitoes  no  longer  distressed 
her :  she  only  thought  of  escaping  from  that  terrible 
tiger. 

At  length  the  streaks  of  dawn  began  to  appear, 
and  the  tiger,  after  one  last  effort  to  capture  the  prey 
so  near  him,  left  the  spot  and  retreated  to  his  lair  un- 
til darkness  should  again  enable  him  to  come  forth. 
She  heard  his  loud  growling  as  he  went  away,  and 
then,  unable  to  longer  endure  the  strain,  fell  into  a 
deep  sleep.  She  was  awakened  by  the  sound  of 
voices,  and  perceived  men  standing  before  her  re- 
treat. As  they  spoke  she  recognized  them  as  the  men 
of  her  village.  They  had  tracked  her  thus  far  and 
were  conversing  about  her  fate.  Listening,  she  could 
hear  their  words. 

They  saw  the  marks  of  her  blood  upon  the  ground 
and  the  stones,  but  they  also  saw  the  marks  of  the 


KlSMUT.  Ill 

tiger's  tongue  as  lie  had  tried  to  lick  up  the  drops  of 
blood.  They  saw  pieces  of  her  gown  torn  by  the 
thorn-bushes  through  which  she  had  pressed  her  way. 
They  saw  the  foot-prints  of  the  tiger  in  the  soft  earth 
and  the  place  where  he  had  rolled  in  his  anger.  The 
evidence  to  them  was  plain — she  had  been  eaten  by 
the  tiger. 

One  of  them  said,  "  That  is  her  fate."  She  listened 
until  they  were  out  of  hearing,  and  thought,  "  Now  I 
am  dead  to  them  all.  They  will  never  look  for  me 
again.  I  will  be  a  new  person.  I  will  have  a  new 
name.  They  said  it  is  my  'fate.'  Fate  shall  be  my 
name.  I  will  be  Kismut.*  Mootie  was  eaten  by  the 
tiger,  but  Kismut  will  come  out  of  the  rocks." 

With  such  thoughts  she  left  her  retreat,  bathed 
again  in  the  brook,  ate  some  berries,  and,  with  a  hap- 
pier heart  than  she  had  known  since  her  husband's 
death,  plunged  deeper  into  the  jungle. 

*  Kismut  is  the  Mohammedan  word  meaning  fate. 


112  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 


CHAPTER  XL 

MORGAN  SHOOTS  THE  TIGER. 

WHEN  Edward  Morgan  reached  the  rendezvous  lie 
found  the  entire  party  present,  and  awaiting  his  ar- 
rival to  proceed  on  their  hunt.  The  people  of  that 
village  and  those  neighboring  were  in  a  state  of  un- 
usual excitement.  They  represented  that  the  jun- 
gle was  full  of  tigers,  they  told  of  children  being 
caught  by  tigers  when  playing  in  the  street  of  the 
village ;  and  every  one  was  telling  how  the  widow 
Mootie  was  carried  by  a  tiger  into  the  jungle  and 
devoured ;  that  the  savage  beast  had  even  licked 
up  all  the  drops  of  blood  she  shed  except  in  a  few 
places  in  the  crevices  of  the  rocks  where  he  made 
his  feast. 

The  villagers  gladly  welcomed  the  huntsmen,  and 
called  upon  their  gods  to  give  them  success  in  ridding 
their  country  of  the  ferocious  beasts. 

The  universal  excitement  made  the  hunters  feel 
quite  heroic ;  but  Captain  Grey  suggested  that  in  re- 
ality there  were  probably  not  more  than  a  pair  of  ti- 
gers, as  they  usually  foraged  in  pairs. 

Before  starting  they  engaged  the  services  of  a  guide, 
an  experienced  hunter,  who  gave  them  instructions 
how  to  hunt.  He  said  :  "  There  are  three  kinds  of 


MORGAN  SHOOTS  THE  TIGER.  113 

• 

tigers,  or,  rather,  stages  in  a  tiger's  life.  The  young 
tiger,  living  a  free,  wild  life  in  the  depths  of  the  jun- 
gle, afraid  of  man,  not  strong  enough  to  master  buffa- 
loes, contents  itself  with  living  on  smaller  game  and 
keeping  in  solitude.  These  are  not  much  more  than 
kittens — they  lack  experience.  As  they  become  older 
and  get  stronger  they  rove  in  companies,  and  learn 
from  their  older  companions  to  attack  large  animals. 
They  also  prowl  about  the  borders  of  the  villages, 
picking  up  a  sheep  or  a  calf,  and  after  a  while  attack- 
ing a  full-grown  bullock.  They  learn  to  relish  do- 
mesticated flesh  as  choicer,  daintier  food  than  that  of 
\vild  animals,  and  easier  to  obtain.  They  dread  the 
face  of  man,  however,  and  only  in  a  sneaking  way 
perform  their  robberies.  But  being  often  chased  by 
men  they  become  bolder,  and  even  stop  to  fight  for  the 
possession  of  their  plunder,  and  in  this  way  get  a  taste 
of  human  blood.  From  this  moment  the  tiger  is  a  new 
creature.  Human  blood  intoxicates  him.  He  thirsts 
for  it  with  such  intensity  that  he  will  not  be  satisfied 
with  any  thing  less.  He  will  at  times  watch  the  high- 
ways and,  in  daylight  even,  spring  upon  the  traveler. 
He  will  rush  into  a  village  and  seize  a  child  and  carry 
it  off  before  the  horror-stricken  people  can  prevent. 
His  ferocity  becomes  terrible.  These  man-eating  ti- 
gers are  generally  of  full  age  and  mangey.  They 
possess  tremendous  strength  and  are  hard  to  overcome. 
When  one  enters  a  neighborhood  universal  conster- 

O 

nation  prevails,  and  there  is  no  sense  of  securitv  until 
8 


114:  NEMOKAMA  THE  XAUTCIINEE. 

lie  is  killed.  Bnt  it  often  happens  that  many  lives 
are  lost  before  this  is  accomplished." 

Those  who  had  searched  for  Mootie  declared  that 
the  beast  that  carried  her  away  was  old  and  large  ;  one 
of  the  most  dangerous  kind.  They  knew  it  from  the 
size  of  his  foot-prints  and  the  marks  of  his  claws  on 
the  trees. 

There  were  three  ways  of  hunting  the  tiger.  One 
way  was  to  construct  a  house  or  cage  of  bamboo  near 
his  haunt,  to  place  a  sheep  in  the  lower  part  and 
thus  attract  him  by  its  bleating ;  while  the  hunters  in 
the  upper  part,  protected  from  his  approach,  could 
deliberately  shoot  him  as  he  came  near.  Another 
way  was  to  hunt  him  with  elephants.  The  hunter, 
with  his  ammunition  and  weapons,  safely  stowed  in  a 
howdah  on  the  elephant's  back  was  out  of  danger,  al- 
though the  driver,  sitting  on  the  elephant's  neck  to 
direct  him,  was  in  danger  of  the  tiger  springing  upon 
him  and  tearing  him  from  his  place.  The  only  dan- 
ger to  the  hunter  was  that  sometimes  an  elephant  became 
frightened  and  uncontrollable,  and  Avould  rush  among 
the  trees,  tearing  the  howdah  from  his  back  and  thor- 
oughly wrecking  it.  The  other  way  of  hunting,  and 
the  most  dangerous  way,  was  to  approach  the  tiger  on 
foot;  then  the  hunter  put  his  skill  fairly  against 
that  of  the  beast.  This  required  the  greatest  care,  the 
firmest  nerve,  and  the  surest  weapons.  A  weakness  in 
either  of  these  meant  death. 

When  the  guide  had  explained  these  features  of  the 


MORGAN  SHOOTS  THE  TIGER.  115 

limit,  Morgan  declared  that  when  they  came  near  the 
tiger's  haunt  he  would  hunt  him  on  foot.  The  people 
gazed  upon  him  in  astonishment  at  this  statement,  and 
yet  with  admiration  of  his  bold  spirit.  He  called  for 
some  native  hunters  to  support  him,  and  immediately 
at  least  a  dozen  brave,  stalwart  men,  with  only  a  cloth 
about  their  loin's,  turbans  on  their  heads,  and  spears 
in  their  hands,  stepped  forth,  ready  to  follow  him 
wherever  lie  might  lead. 

Elephants  were  now  led  before  the  dwelling  of  the 
chief  man  of  the  village,  and  provisions  for  many 
days  were  packed  in  the  howdahs  ;  the  provisions  con- 
sisting mostly  of  various  kinds  of  canned  goods  and 
unleavened  crackers,  with  meal  of  different  kinds.  A 
good  stock  of  ammunition  was  also  put  in  the  how- 
dahs, and  then  the  hunters  mounted  to  their  places. 

The  starting  of  the  hunters  caused  the  day  to  be  made 
a  gala  day  by  the  villagers.  Many  came  from  neigh- 
boring villages  to  see  them  and  wish  them  success. 
While  it  meant  sport  to  the  party  it  meant  security 
to  the  villages,  and  yet  every  one  knew  that  it  might 
mean  death  to  some  of  the  hunters ;  for  an  old  tiger 
was  always  very  dangerous.  The  elephants  were 
covered  with  gay -colored  cloths,  while  passing 
through  the  villages,  and  the  hunters  held  their 
weapons  up  bound  about  with  ribbons  and  flowers. 
The  people  were  dressed  in  their  brightest  colored 
clothing,  and  were  decorated  with  all  their  jewelry. 
With  shouts,  blowing  of  horns,  beating  of  pans,  and 


11G  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

every  imaginable  kind  of  noise  they  sent  the  party 
on  their  way. 

Such  an  ovation  made  the  beginning  seern  like  a 
triumphal  march,  and  Morgan  entered  into  the  spirit 
of  it  in  true,  frank,  free  American  manner.  He 
said  it  led  him  to  think  of  the  Fourth  of  July.  Den- 
nis also  imbibed  the  spirit  of  the  occasion.  His 
tongue  ran  continually,  to  the  merriment  of  the  peo- 
ple. With  red  face,  broad  brogue,  and  ardent  gest- 
ures he  loudly  boasted  of  what  they  would  do,  and  to 
each  of  his  promises  the  people  beat  their  tom-toms 
the  louder.  Then  the  party  left  the  villages  and 
plunged  into  the  jungle.  They  proceeded  at  a  rapid 
pace  for  several  miles,  the  native  hunters  running  by 
the  side  of  the  elephants.  At  length  the  guide 
called  a  halt,  and  showed  them  where  the  tiger  had 
wallowed  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  and  had  torn  the  bark 
of  the  tree  by  his  clawing.  As  he  examined  it,  he 
said,  "  The  tiger-  was  in  a  rage  when  he  did  this ;  his 
strokes  are  deep  and  uneven.  He  is  a  ferocious  fel- 
low, and  we  must  be  careful  of  him."  Then  showing 
them  the  broad  foot-prints  in  the  earth,  they  took  up 
their  journey  more  slowly,  tracking  him  toward  his 
lair.  In  some  places  it  was  difficult  to  follow  him,  for 
he  seemed  to  prefer  running  in  the  brook,  and  leaping 
from  side  to  side  as  if  to  conceal  his  tracks.  After 
traveling  in  this  way  for  a  couple  of  hours  the  guide 
announced  the  discovery  of  the  tracks  of  another 
tiger,  also  a  large  one.  The  excitement  was  now 


MORGAN  SHOOTS  THE  TIGER.  117 

intense,  and  every  one  prepared  for  the  combat. 
Morgan  alighted  from  his  elephant,  and,  having  first 
carefully  examined  his  fine  Springfield  rifle,  started 
with  his  native  hunters  on  foot  to  find  the  lair  of  the 
tiger.  The  others,  remaining  on  their  elephants, 
sought  the  tracks  in  the  more  open  parts  of  the 
jungle.  Each  party  took  a  separate  route,  so  as  to 
surround  the  thicket  in  which  the  guide  declared 
the  tigers  were  concealed.  The  tiger's  haunt  was 
supposed  to  be  in  a  dense  bamboo  thicket  just  before 
them,  and  it  was  possible  that  the  beast  might  spring 
upon  the  hunters  before  its  presence  would  be  dis- 
covered. 

The  elephants  tramped  about  the  thicket,  while 
the  native  hunters,  with  their  spears  carefully  poised, 
entered  the  dangerous  precincts.  Morgan  seemed  to 
coolly  take  it  as  an  e very-day  occurrence,  but  in  reality 
he  was  intensely  excited.  This  was  the  greatest 
hunt  of  his  life,  and  its  issue  would  distinguish  him 
in  the  estimation  of  his  companions  or  load  him  with 
discredit.  Suddenly  the  hunter  in  front  of  him 
ceased  his  advance,  and  standing  perfectly  upright 
pointed  with  his  spear  to  a  small  open  space  within 
the  thicket. 

Looking  in  the  direction  indicated,  Morgan  saw  a 
tiger  not  thirty  yards  distant;  the  first  tiger  he  ever 
beheld  at  liberty.  It  was  a  thrilling  sight,  for  the 
beast  saw  them,  and  was  angry  at  their  approach, 
lie  was  in  the  act  of  devouring  a  buffalo,  which  he 


118  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

had  dragged  to  his  lair.  They  saw  him  plunge  into 
the  reeking  flesh,  then  raising  his  head,  dripping  with 
gore,  he  glared  savagely  at  his  enemies  and  growled 
fiercely.  Then,  seeming  to  realize  his  danger,  he  left 
the  carcass  and  walked  about  it,  uttering  his  rage  in 
a  succession  of  roars. 

He  was  an  immense  beast,  and  as  he  moved  about, 
with  so  soft  and  graceful  a  motion,  Morgan  could  no't 
refrain  from  admiring  the  velvety  stripes  of  black  on 
his  soft  golden  coat.  But  the  time  for  action  had 
come.  Raising  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder  he  took  a 
quick  aim  at  the  monster  and  fired.  He  struck  the 
tiger  but  did  not  mortally  wound  him,  and  only  in- 
creased the  animal's  rage.  Now  came  a  moment  of  the 
greatest  danger,  which  severely  tested  the  courage  of 
them  all.  But  not  one  sought  safety  in  flight ;  every 
one  stood  erect  in  his  place,  depending  for  his  life  on 
the  skill  of  their  leader.  Instantly  he  reloaded,  as 
the  tiger,  with  a  roar  that  was  the  most  terrifying 
sound  Morgan  ever  heard,  sprang  forward. 

Morgan's  rifle  was  again  at  his  shoulder  as  the 
tiger  crouched  for  its  final  spring,  and  a  second  of 
time  would  decide  the  death  either  of  the  hunter  or 
of  the  beast. 

If  Morgan  should  miss  his  aim,  or  his  motion  be 
too  slow,  or  his  ball  strike  the  wrong  curve  of  the 
animal's  skull,  or  his  rifle  hang  fire,  the  tiger  would 
be  upon  him  with  its  awful  teeth  and  claws.  The 
men  saw  the  danger,  but  not  a  man  stirred.  Morgan 


MORGAN  SHOOTS  THE  TIGER.  119 

stood  erect,  without  a  tremor,  one  foot  a  little  in  ad- 
vance of  the  other,  with  his  eye  along  the  gun-barrel. 
The  tiger  sprang  I  at  the  same  instant  the  report  of 
the  rifle  rang  out,  the  ball  went  straight  on  its  course 
through  the  eye  of  the  beast  into  the  brain,  and  the 
huge  body  fell  at  the  feet  of  the  hunter,  quivering 
in  the  throes  of  death.  It  was  several  moments  be- 
fore the  deatli  agonies  were  over,  when  they  could 
safely  approach  the  body  of  the  tiger.  Then  Morgan 
with  an  exultation  new  to  him,  a  joyous  pride  that 
almost  made  him  laugh  and  cry  by  turns,  went  up  to 
the  beast,  and  with  his  hands  stroked  its  sleek  sides, 
handled  its  immense  paws,  and  felt  its  claws  and  then 
its  teeth  while  the  body  was  yet  warm  with  the 
lately  coursing  heat  of  life.  The  native  hunters 
came  up  to  him  and  with  expressions  of  reverence 
bowed  before  him.  They  called  him  a  great  hunter, 
whose  skill  and  courage  had  never  been  surpassed. 

But  they  were  not  alone  in  their  praises.  Captain 
Grey's  elephant  had  come  up  just  as  the  first  shot 
was  fired,  and  he  and  Dennis  had  witnessed  the  whole 
action.  The  awful  danger  Morgan  stood  under  for 
the  moment  unnerved  the  captain,  and  now  as  he  took 
Morgan's  hand  to  congratulate  him  he  was  unable  to 

O  ™ 

utter  a  word.  He  could  only  heartily  grasp  the  hand 
of  his  friend,  while  the  tears  rolled  down  his  cheeks. 
Morgan  understood  it,  and  it  bound  him  to  Grey 
with  the  strongest  links  of  friendship.  Dennis  danced 
about  the  beast  with  uncontrollable  delight.  His  eyes 


120  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

sparkled,  and  his  entire  countenance  was  illuminated 
with  the  peculiar  Irish  glow  as  he  said  to  the  native 
hunters,  u  Look  at  that  now !  Did  yez  iver  see  the 
bate  o'  that?  'twas  a  brave  deed  Mister  Morgan  did, 
an'  niver  a  bit  o'  fear  in  his  eye  at  all,  at  all.  Whisht 
now,  but  war'n't  it  purty  how  lie  so  nately  decaved 
the  ould  monster  ? "  Then  turning  to  the  carcass,  he 
continued:  "An'  did  yez  think  to  make  a  dinner  of 
the  likes  o'  him,  ye  brute  ye !  Sure  an'  'tis  not  for 
the  likes  of  yez  to  feast  upon  American  beef."  Then 
blushing  he  bowed  and  said,  "  that  is  to  say,  as  it  were, 
an  American  gintleman  of  unexcelled  excellence,  and 
the  possesser  of  the  best  of  vartues." 

By  this  time  the  other  hunters  arrived,  and  they 
proceeded  to  dispose  of  the  beast.  He  was  pro- 
nounced to  be  a  ferocious  man-eater,  and  was  nearly 
ten  feet  in  length.  They  skinned  the  carcass,  and 
with  chemicals  they  had  brought  with  them  prepared 
the  skin,  with  the  head  and  claws,  for  preservation. 
Morgan  wished  to  send  it  to  America  as  a  proof  of  his 
ability  as  a  huntsman.  Then,  building  a  fire,  they 
prepared  a  sumptuous  dinner,  after  which  they  re- 
sumed their  search  for  the  other  tiger. 


WHAT  ELEPHANTS  CAN  Do.  121 


CHAPTER  XII. 

WHAT  ELEPHANTS  CAN  DO. 

THE  slaughter  of  the  tiger  without  any  accident 
to  the  party  stimulated  them  to  press  the  search  for 
the  other  one  with  vigor.  Even  the  elephants  mani- 
fested this  desire  by  their  trumpeting  and  snorting. 
The  guide,  however,  cautioned  watch  care,  for  the 
tiger  would  sell  his  life  dearly.  In  a  short  time  they 
marked  his  trail  and  followed  it  into  a  dense  thicket 
along  a  stream  that  ran  through  the  jungle.  The  ele- 
phants now  seemed  to  be  more  wary,  and  at  times 
almost  hesitated  to  proceed.  Suddenly  they  were  all 
alarmed  by  the  tiger,  just  in  front  of  them,  uttering 
a" tremendous  roar  and  springing  at  the  neck  of  the 
nearest  elephant.  "With  his  huge  claw  he  tore  from 
beneath  the  driver  a  part  of  the  pad  on  which  he  sat, 
and  would  have  pulled  him  off  if  Dennis  had  not 
caught  the  frightened  man  by  the  shoulder  and  held 
him  on. 

They  all  hastened  to  shoot  at  the  beast,  but  he  re- 
tired so  quickly  into  the  thicket  that  none  of  their 
shots  took  effect.  The  elephant,  however,  seemed  to 
be  very  angry  with  the  liberties  the  tiger  had  taken. 
The  full  view  which  the  party  had  of  the  motions  of 
the  great  beast  awakened  their  admiration.  Beauty, 


122  KKMORAHA.  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

grace,  power,  and  ferocity  were  combined,  and  with 
it  all  there  seemed  to  be  a  degree  of  skill  in  his 
method  of  attack  worthy  of  the  reason  of  man.  They 
could  not  see  where  he  had  gone,  so  dense  was  the 
thicket  and  so  silently  did  he  await  their  approach. 
The  very  air  seemed  still,  and  only  the  lumbering 
crash  of  the  elephant's  step  disturbed  the  awful 
quiet. 

This  silence  was  very  aggravating  to  Dennis,  and  at 
last,  as  he  stood  in  the  edge  of  the  howdah  with  rifle 
in  hand  watching  the  thicket,  he  began  to  mutter 
imprecations  upon  the  foe.  His  remarks  were  sud- 
denly cut  short,  however,  by  the  elephant  making  a 
sudden  move  backward  upon  his  haunches  with  such 
force  as  to  throw  Dennis  to  the  ground.  He  was  not 
hurt,  however,  and,  realizing  his  danger,  quickly 
arose  and  stood  with  his  rifle  ready  for  action.  But 
his  attention  was  directed  to  the  elephant,  for  it  was 
now  taking  an  active  part  in  the  fray. 

The  elephant  had  seen  considerable  service  in  tiger- 
hunting,  and  was  highly  valued  for  his  courage  and 
strength.  He  was  of  a  great  age  and  thoroughly 
trained,  but  sometimes  he  became  a  little  impatient 
when  things  did  not  progress  to  suit  him.  He  had 
a  pair  of  enormous  tusks,  which  added  to  his  fierce 
appearance  as  well  as  to  his  strength.  From  the  mo- 
ment the  tiger  dared  to  leap  iipon  him  and  lacerate 
his  shoulder  with  its  terrible  claws  his  indignation  had 
been  increasing,  and,  watching  the  retreat  of  his  foe, 


WHAT  ELEPHANTS  CAN  Do.  323 

he  suddenly  caught  sight  of  the  glossy  yellow  and 
black  far  in  the  thicket.  Throwing  himself  on  his 
haunches,  as  if  to  get  command  of  his  great  muscu- 
lar force — the  movement  which  threw  Dennis  to  the 
ground — he  rushed  with  furious  energy  into  the 
thicket  with  his  head  bent  down  toward  the  ground. 
Nothing  could  withstand  the  force  of  that  assault. 
The  howdah  and  all  who  were  in  it  were  swept  from 
his  back  by  the  branches  of  intervening  trees.  The 
bamboo  reeds  of  the  thicket  were  broken  and  tram- 
pled down  as  if  they  were  only  straws.  The  aston- 
ished hunters  saw  him  drive  his  tusks  toward  the 
ground  with  awful  fury,  and  the  next  moment  he 
came  out  of  the  thicket  with  the  tiger  hanging  on  the 
tusks  and  pierced  through  by  them  both.  Then 
grasping  the  tiger  with  his  trunk  he  hurled  him  from 
the  tusks  to  the  ground,  and  never  ceased  his  fury 
until  he  had  trampled  the  body  to  a  mass  of  gore  and 
pulp.  Then,  seeing  his  enemy  was  thoroughly  de- 
stroyed and  his  own  honor  vindicated,  he  yielded  to 
the  commands  of  his  driver,  and  became  gentle 
again.* 

The  men  so  suddenly  swept  from  his  back  were 
magnanimous  enough  to  forgive  his  treatment  of 
them  and  to  praise  his  courage  and  strength  of  will 
in  the  most  ardent  terms.  Dennis  beheld  the  entire 
action.  It  was  all  so  quickly  done  that  he  did  not 
have  a  chance  to  even  shoot  at  the  tiger,  and  he  was 
*  This  action  of  an  elephant  actually  occurred. 


124  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

disappointed  that  the  hunt  should  close  and  not  a  bit 
of  glory  accrue  to  himself. 

The  tigers  were  now  destroyed  in  that  part  of  the 
jungle,  and  the  rest  of  the  hunting  was  tame.  There 
were  buffaloes,  wild  hogs,  antelopes,  and  other  game 
which  they  could  easily  slaughter,  but  the  real  sport 
was  ended,  and  they  returned  to  the  village  with  the 
skins  of  the  slain  tigers,  and  received  the  generous 
ovation  which  the  grateful  villagers  hastened  to  give 
them. 

The  entire  party,  with  the  exception  of  Morgan, 
then  started  for  the  nearest  railway  station  to  return 
to  their  various  quarters. 

On  the  road  Morgan  left  them,  to  pass  through  the 
jungle  to  intersect  the  great  highway  to  the  north- 
west, and  to.  enjoy  the  luxury  of  solitude  amidst  un- 
usual dangers.  He  chose  to  go  alone.  He  had  been 
traveling  for  several  hours,  and  was  considerably 
fatigued,  when,  on  reaching  an  elevated  piece  of 
ground,  he  saw  a  short  distance  before  him  the  broad 
highway.  The  great  road  is  sixteen  hundred  miles 
long,  made  of  concrete,  and  as  hard  and  smooth  as  a 
floor.  It  is  said  by  a  great  bicycler,  who  went  around 
the  world  on  his  bicycle,  to  be  the  finest  road  in  the 
world. 

Previous  to  the  mutiny  the  roads  in  India  were 
poor,  and  on  that  distressing  occasion  one  great  dif- 
ficulty was  to  move  the  troops  with  sufficient  speed. 
Since  then  the  English  have  developed  the  highway. 


WHAT  ELEPHANTS  CAN  Do.  125 

All  along  the  country  there  is  an  abundance  of  the 
best  concrete,  and  hence  the  construction  of  good 
highways  has  not  been  very  difficult.  Nowhere  in 
the  world  have  the  customs  of  the  people  more  im- 
peratively demanded  good  roads  than  in  India;  for 
caste  rules  largely  demand  solitary  traveling.  Pal- 
anquins are  therefore  a  neccessity.  In  these  the 
high  caste  Hindu,  the  proud  Brahman,  the  noble 
lady,  or  the  invalid  could  travel  in  safety,  free 
from  contact  with  those  of  other  castes  and  free  from 
the  gaze  of  strangers.  Along  the  highways  were  trav- 
elers' bungalows,  or  houses  where  the  traveler  could 
cook  his  own  food,  sleep  on  his  own  mat  or  bed,  and  be 
by  himself  as  much  as  he  pleased.  The  traveler  always 
carried  in  his  palanquin  every  thing  necessary  for  his 
comfort.  So  scrupulous  were  they  that  they  would 
run  no  risks  by  defiling  themselves  with  the  things 
of  strangers. 

In  the  distance  Morgan  saw  one  of  these  bungalows, 
with  its  whitewashed  walls  and  broad  verandas. 
This  was  where  he  expected  to  pass  the  night.  It  was 
only  two  or  three  miles  away,  and  he  could  soon  walk 
that  distance.  In  the  other  direction  he  saw  a  party 
of  travelers  approaching.  There  were  several  palan- 
quins, and  they  were  traveling  in  haste.  Morgan 
watched  them  as  they  passed  along,  Each  palanquin 
was  suspended  from  long  poles  and  carried  on  the 
shoulders  of  four  coolies.  These  coolies  changed  with 
relays  at  regular  periods,  so  that  quite  a  long  distance 


126  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

could  be  passed  over  in  a  day.  Their  uniform  swing- 
ing step  was  very  graceful,  and  gave  the  gentlest 
rocking  motion  to  the  palanquins,  very  pleasant  to 
those  riding. 

The  palanquins  were  now  near  enough  for  Morgan 
to  see  that  some  persons  of  considerable  importance 
were  in  them.  They  were  richly  ornamented  with 
bright  cloths  and  jewels,  and  the  curtains  were  hand- 
somely embroidered.  The  coolies  carried  them  with 
a  skill  demanded  by  those  who  possessed  authority. 
But  the  curtains  were  tightly  drawn,  and  the  riders 
could  not  be  seen. 

Suddenly  the  ease  of  their  motion  was  broken,  and 
they  came  to  a  halt.  The  cause  of  this  was  apparent 
to  Morgan,  for  at  that  moment  he  heard  the  snorting 
of  an  elephant  coming  down  the  highway  approaching 
them.  The  sound  was  peculiar,  and  at  once  the  cry 
arose  from  the  coolies,  "  Rogue  elephant !  Rogue 
elephant ! " 

On  came  the  elephant  until  he  was  in  sight  of  the 
travelers.  The  coolies  in  abject  terror  dropped  their 
palanquins  and  fled  to  the  thickets  on  the  far  side  of 
the  highway.  The  curtains  of  the  foremost  palanquin 
parted  and  a  man  in  brilliant  attire  stepped  out. 
Morgan  noticed  that  he  was  a  man  of  authority,  and 
that  his  dress,  sword,  jewels,  and  general  bearing 
showed  that  he  was  accustomed  to  command.  But  it 
was  too  late  for  him  to  escape  ;  the  huge  furious  beast 
rushed  upon  him,  seized  him  with  his  trunk 


WHAT  ELEPHANTS  CAN  Do.  127 

dashed  him  to  the  ground,  and  trampled  upon  him. 
Some  of  the  coolies  who  had  turned  to  the  defense  of 
their  master  next  became  victims  of  the  elephant's 
rage,  and  were  tossed  and  trampled  to  death.  Then 
the  beast's  rage  was  directed  upon  the  palanquin, 
which  was  soon  wrecked. 

In  the  meantime  the  second  palanquin  was  opened, 
and  a  lady,  brilliantly  dressed,  leaped  out  and  ran 
across  the  highway  toward  the  hill  upon  which  Mor- 
gan was  resting.  She  was  evidently  trying  to  reach 
a  tree,  with  low  branches,  that  stood  a  short  distance 
from  the  road-side. 

As  Morgan,  with  rifle  ready  for  use  started  to 
assist  the  ill-fated  travelers,  the  beast  saw  the 
woman  fleeing,  and  leaving  the  wreck  rushed  after 
her. 

He  advanced  with  gigantic  strides,  holding  his  head 
high  and  his  proboscis  curled  up  tightly,  in  front  of 
his  mouth,  ready  to  be  swung  out  with  swift  precision 
when  near  enough  to  catch  his  foe.  His  gigantic 
tnsks  pointed  almost  straight  before  him,  and  he 
threatened  to  annihilate  every  thing  that  stood  in 
his  way. 

He  was  gaining  rapidly  -on  the  lady,  although  she 
was  fleeing  with  a  speed  utterly  amazing  to  the  Amer- 
ican. The  elephant  had  almost  come  up  to  her,  when 
she  reached  the  tree,  leaped  up,  caught  hold  of  a 
branch,  and  with  wonderful  muscular  effort  swung 
herself  into  the  higher  branches. 


128  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Then  the  elephant's  rage  was  terrific.  He  plowed 
deep  furrows  in  the  ground  with  his  tusks,  and  tore 
off  the  limbs  within  his  reach  with  his  trunk ;  but 
the  woman,  far  above  him,  watched  his  vain  rage  witli 
a  feeling  of  temporary  security. 

Then  the  beast  caught  sight  of  the  American,  and 
with  redoubled  rage  rushed  toward  him.  Edward 
Morgan  was  no  coward,  but  in  all  his  life  he  had 
never  faced  such  a  foe  as  this.  It  was  like  the  rush 
of  a  railway  train.  He  knew  the  skull  of  an  elephant 
could  be  easily  pierced  by  his  powerful  Springfield 
rifle  if  he  could  hit  the  skull.  But,  in  his  onward 
rush,  the  beast,  holding  his  head  up,  presented  a  great 
mass  of  flesh  which  no  bullet  would  affect.  It  was 
absolutely  necessary  to  get  a  partial  side  view  of  the 
animal.  Only  when  the  animal  was  close  to  him 
could  this  be  done,  and  then  it  might  be  too  late. 

The  woman  in  the  tree  beheld  the  danger  of  the 
hunter,  and  with  quick  action  sprang  out  of  the  tree 
to  the  ground.  She  tore  off  her  brilliant  scarlet  saree, 
and  with  a  shout  flung  it  toward  the  beast.  The 
noise  and  the  bright  object  caught  the  animal's  atten- 
tion, and  without  lessening  his  speed,  he  partially 
turned  his  head  toward  the  maiden.  That  was  enough ; 
the  same  second  the  rifle  spoke,  and  the  ball  whizzed 
into  the  brain  of  the  beast,  and  he  fell  upon  his  tusks, 
rolled  over,  and  died. 

As  the  woman  recovered  her  saree  Morgan  caught 
a  view  of  her  face,  and  his  heart  thrilled  with  glad 


WHAT  ELEPHANTS  CAN  Do.  129 

surprise,  for  he  recognized  Nemorama,  the  beautiful 
nautchncc.  His  countenance  revealed  his  delight, 
and  as  he  called  her  name  she  recognized  him,  and 
with  no  less  delight  came  at  his  call.  As  she  gazed 
into  his  face  and  read  its  expression  the  thought  of 
her  destination  flashed  upon  her,  filling  her  mind  with 
terror,  and,  looking  appealing!  y  into  his  eyes,  she 
said  :  "  O,  stranger,  you  have  risked  your  life  to  save 
me  !  You  have  indeed  saved  my  life !  O,  will  you 
save  me  from  a  fate  worse  than  death  ?  O,  let  us  flee 
into  the  jungle  before  1  am  sought  by  those  holding 
me  captive,  and  as  soon  as  we  are  safe  from  pursuit 
I  will  tell  you  all." 

Morgan  did  not  need  a  second  appeal.  As  he  gazed 
into  her  beautiful,  beseeching  face,  radiant  with  feel- 
ing and  hope,  he  remembered  the  fakir's  story,  and 
he  replied  :  "  I  will  save  you,  beautiful  one,  or  will 
die  in  the  attempt.  Come  with  me.  The  coolies 
have  fled  in  the  other  direction,  and  have  not  observed 
your  flight.  Me  they  have  not  seen.  We  will  soon 
cover  our  tracks  in  the  streams  of  the  jungle,  and 
they  will  think  you  are  dead."  lie  led  the  way,  and 
they  quickly  passed  into  the  jungle.  There  were 
many  thickets  interspersed  here  and  there  with  little 
streams,  patches  of  swamp,  and  high  tufts  of  grass. 
In  and  out  among  these  tufts  they  rapidly  fled  until 
they  readied  drier  ground,  and  upon  this  they  con- 
tinued their  flight  until  darkness  settled  upon  them. 

But  thev  felt  secure,  for  they  were  many  miles  away 
9 


130  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

from  any  who  miglit  seek  for  them.  While  waiting 
for  daylight  they  climbed  into  the  brandies  of  a  bushy 
tree,  to  be  safe  from  the  beasts  that  roamed  the  jungle 
during  the  darkness. 

When  the   coolies  recovered   their    courage  they 
hastened    to    the    nearest    village,    and    with    men 

o    / 

and  torches  returned  to  the  scene  of  carnage. 
Great  was  their  consternation  on  seeing  the  havoc 
done.  Their  master  and  his  body-guard  were  so 
crushed  as  to  be  distinguished  only  by  their  clothing 
and  ornaments.  The  palanquins  were  wrecked  and 
the  fragments  scattered  along  the  highway.  The  lady 
they  were  bearing  was  gone,  with  no  trace  of  her 
flight,  and  the  elephant  that  had  wrought  all  this 
mischief  lay  dead  beneath  a  badly  broken  tree. 
They  wondered  if  the  elephant  died  in  a  fit.  But 
their  great  perplexity  was  as  to  the  fate  of  the  lady. 
Sadly  they  gathered  the  bodies  of  the  slain  and  placed 
them  upon  funeral  pyres,  and  committed  them  to  the 
flames.  With  torches  they  searched  for  traces  of  the 
lady,  but  just  there  the  ground  was  covered  with 
grass  and  no  foot-prints  were  seen.  They  at  last  gave 
up  the  search  and  returned  to  the  bungalow  to  wait 
for  daylight.  In  the  night  they  heard  the  fierce  cries 
of  the  wild  hyenas,  and  in  the  morning  they  found 
these  savage,  hungry  beasts  had  fought  over  the  body 
of  the  elephant,  and  there  had  been  so  many  of  them 
that  only  a  mass  of  bones,  with  the  two  great  tusks, 
was  left. 


WHAT  ELEPHANTS  CAN  Do.  131 

Sure  that  tne  lady  must  have  perished  in  the  same 
way,  they  went  on  their  journey.  A  Mahommedan 
fakir,  following  them  from  the  bungalow,  picked  up 
a  bullet  from  the  skull  of  the  elephant  and  hid  it  in 
his  hair. 


132  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE- 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

LIGHT    IN    THE    JUNGLE. 

THE  tree  in  which  the  fleeing  ones  sought  shelter 
was  bushy  M'ith  branches,  the  forks  of  which  afforded 
them  easy  and  safe  resting-places.  The  branches  grew 
so  thickly  that  there  was  no  danger  of  their  falling 
to  the  ground,  even  if  sleep  should  overcome  them. 

During  the  first  part  of  the  night  they  kept  silence, 
thinking  to  avoid  attracting  the  attention  of  any  thing 
that  might  endanger  their  safety.  They  forgot  that 
wild  animals  are  attracted  by  scent  more  than  by  noise 
or  sight.  The  darkness  was  intense.  On  every  hand 
the  jungle  seemed  to  be  alive  with  myriads  of  insects 
which  kept  up  a  continual  humming  and  buzzing. 
Occasionally  cries  of  panthers  were  heard,  suggest- 
ing the  possibility  of  one  of  these  nimble  creatures 
springing  upon  them  in  spite  of  every  precaution. 
Hyenas  and  jackals,  crying,  barking,  and  fighting, 
rushed  in  packs  beneath  the  tree,  making  the  dark- 
ness hideous  with  their  savage  noises. 

Morgan  sat  in  a  fork  of  the  tree  just  above  his 
companion,  with  his  rifle  resting  on  his  knee  ready  for 
instant  action,  full  of  courage  in  feeling  the  responsi- 
bility he  had  assumed  as  her  protector. 

As  the  hours  passed  so  slowly  and -they  became 


LIGHT  IN  THE  JUNGLE.  133 

accustomed  to  the  darkness  and  the  strange  sounds 
about  them,  they  began  to  converse  in  low  tones,  which 
were  now  and  then  interrupted  by  fierce  barks  from 
some  animals  on  the  ground  beneath  them  disap- 
pointed in  not  finding  them  their  prey. 

Naturally  their  conversation  drifted  to  their  first 
meeting,  and  Morgan  told  the  maiden  that  what  first 
really  awakened  a  particular  interest  in  her  was  the 
melancholy  flashing  of  her  countenance  while  person- 
ating the  heroine  in  llama's  drama.  He  felt  that  it 
was  not  all  art,  but  a  real  picture  of  the  hopeless  grief 
she  was  enduring  in  her  own  soul. 

Then  he  told  her  of  the  fakir  and  his  story.  As 
he  proceeded  he  noticed  that  she  was  weeping. 
Reaching  his  hand  down  to  her  and  touching  her 
shoulder,  he  discovered  that  she  was  trembling  with 
overwhelming  excitement.  He  realized  that  he  was 
opening  to  her  a  glimpse  of  her  own  identity,  and 
showing  her  that  she  was  not  a  mere  thing,  but 
somebody's  loved  child,  and  not  the  child  of  shame — 
that  her  right  was  of  honorable  and  high  caste 
parentage. 

It  was  the  first  intelligence  she  had  ever  received 
regarding  her  parentage,  and  it  explained  to  some  ex- 
tent the  possession  of  such  ardent  longings  for  a  better 
life.  "With  this  knowledge  sprang  into  action  a  de- 
sire to  find  her  father,  and  the  probability  of  his  being 
alive  became  a  rock  to  rest  her  hope  upon.  She  told 
her  companion  how  the  ambition  to  be  somebody  in 


134  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

life  had  possessed  her  whole  soul,  and  she  anticipated 
with  a  feeling  akin  to  terror  "living  as  a  mere  piece  of 
machinery,  for  the  gratification  of  the  heartless  mul- 
titudes about  her.  She  told  him  how  all  ambition 
was  crushed  out  of  the  hearts  of  the  girls,  and  they 
were  led  to  be  nerveless  and  depraved  by  being  taught 
that  they  were  no  better  than  animals;  that  they  were 
a  curse  to  men,  and  could  never  rise  in  the  scale  of 
life ;  that  they  were  not  fit  to  think  for  themselves, 
and  should  be  entirely  satisfied  in  being  allowed  to 
wear  ornaments  and  gay  colored  garments. 

Beyond  this  many  of  them  had  no  thought,  and 
eternity  was  a  dark  cloud.  They  knew  nothing  of 
future  blessings  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  They 
lived  in  moral  gloom.  She  never  had  received  even 
a  ray  of  light  or  hope  until  the  American  missionary 
told  of  the  love  of  Jesus  at  the  bedside  of  the  dying 
nautchnee,  Saineh.  She  had  not  heard  it  since, 
although  the  sweetness  of  the  message  made  her  heart- 
hunger  the  more  apparent  and  hopeful.  Her  soul 
seemed  to  be  in  a  famishing  condition,  hungering 
and  thirsting  for  more  of  that  sweet  story  of  grace 
and  salvation  in  Jesus. 

As  Nemorama  so  touchingly  described  her  heart- 
hunger,  Morgan  thought  of  the  opportunities  he  had 
carelessly  rejected.  He  had  been  surrounded  from 
infancy  with  beams  of  clearest  light  from  God's 
throne,  and  yet  had  never  praised  the  Giver  of  that 
light,  nor  opened  the  door  of  his  heart  for  its 


LIGHT  IN  THE  JUNGLK.  135 

entrance.  The  maiden's  yearnings  awakened  his  con- 
science. He  recalled  the  irrepressible  enthusiasm 
manifested  by  the  missionaries  on  shipboard;  their 
deep  longing  to  give  light  to  the  spiritually  blind, 
the  joy  they  felt  when  they  heard  of  the  heathen  ac- 
cepting the  light,  and  their  hope  that  God  would 
use  them  as  light-bearers.  He  had  pitied  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  at  times  considered  them  deluded  fa- 
natics, but  now  he  felt  impressed  with  the  duty  of 
doing  their  kind  of  work.  A  soul  was  calling  to  him 
out  of  the  darkness  of  heathenism.  What  would  he 
do  ?  What  could  he  say  ?  He  was  overwhelmed 
with  the  thought  of  his  own  unworthiness.  He 
beheld  the  missionary  sphere  to  be  so  far  above  his 
sphere  of  life  that  only  the  special  dispensation  of 
heavenly  grace  could  fit  him  for  it. 

The  thought  flashed  into  his  mind  that  God  had 
delivered  him  from  the  tiger  and  the  elephant  to 
use  his  talents  in  proclaiming  the  word  of  salva- 
tion. He  bent  his  soul  before  God  in  humble  prayer 
for  wisdom  to  speak  it  aright.  As  they  were  both 
silent  for  a  while  his  mind  went  back  over  the  past. 
As  he  reflected,  memory  brought  before  him -the 
story  of  Jesus  as  he  had  learned  it  when  a  little  boy 
begging  his  mother  for  stories.  She  had  entertained 
him  night  after  night  with  the  gentle  words  and  kind 
deeds  of  Jesus.  Page  after  page  of  literature  he  had 
read,  sermon  after  sermon  that  he  had  heard,  and 
many  other  influences  he  had  been  subject  to  came 


loG  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

before  him,  until  lie  was  amazed  to  find  how  greatly 
Christ  had  entered  into  the  warp  and  woof  of  his 
mind.  He  thought  he  would  give  the  maiden  an  his- 
torical sketch  of  Jesus — that  was  about  all  he  was  com- 
petent to  do.  It  would  interest  her,  and  satisfy  the 
demands  of  his  own  conscience.  He  be^an.  but  as 

O         / 

he  realized  she  was  becoming  deeply  interested,  and 
drinking  in  the  words  as  a  fever-stricken  person 
would  drink  fresh  spring-water,  he  gave  a  bright 
coloring  to  his  words,  until  with  all  the  wealth  of  his 
cultivated  and  poetic  mind  he  was  presenting  to  her 
Christ  the  Saviour  of  the  lost.  Never  before  was  he 
so  deeply  affected  by  his  own  words  as  now.  His 
heart  opened  to  the  call  of  his  mind,  and  while  the 
darkness  rested  on  them  without,  the  most  wonderful 
light  he  had  ever  known  was  breaking  upon  his  soul. 
He  began  with  the  story  of  the  heavenly  kingdom, 
where  the  Son  dwelt  with  the  Father  and  received 
the  adoration  of  the  angels.  Then  told  of  the  crea- 
tion of  man,  and  that  all  people  are  of  one  blood  and 
all  are  the  children  of  God ;  Sudra  as  well  as  Brahman, 
Asiatic  as  well  as  American,  woman  as  well  as  man. 
He  described  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  sin  entering 
that  garden  to  lure  mankind  to  ruin ;  the  fall  of  man, 
and  the  punishment  God  sent  upon  the  offenders. 
Then  he  spoke  of  Christ  laying  aside  his  glory  and 
coming  to  the  earth,  seeking  to  save  poor  lost  hu- 
manity by  the  sacrifice  of  his  own  blood.  He  told 
her  how  he  was  received ;  of  the  Marys,  of  the  home 


LIGHT  ix  THE  JUNGLE.  137 

in  Bethany,  of  the  crucifixion,  the  resurrection,  the 
ascension,  the  enthronement  on  high.  Then  he  de- 
scribed the  corning  judgment  and  the  eternal  rewards 
for  the  good,  and  the  punishments  for  the  wicked. 
He  spoke  particularly  of  Christ's  bearing  toward 
women,  and  the  effect  Christianity  has  had  upon  the 
life  of  women,  contrasting  happy,  free  America  with 
suffering  India. 

The  message  of  life  filled  Nemorama's  heart  to 
overflowing,  and  she  wept  for  gladness  to  know 
Christ  would  save  her.  As  she  wept  Morgan  turned 
his  thoughts  upon  himself.  He  had  come  to  the 
jungle  to  hunt  the  fierce  and  terrible  tiger,  and  had 
found  the  sweet  and  gentle  Christ.  In  his  gladness 
he  recognized  the  fact ;  that  in  trying  to  show  Christ 
to  another  he  was  able  to  perceive  him  himself ;  that 
in  declaring  the  glad  tidings  his  own  ear,  listening, 
caught  the  message  and  refused  to  let  it  go.  He  saw 
how  sympathy  with  one  in  darkness  revealed  the  fact 
of  his  own  darkness,  and  the  possibility  of  one  in  dense 
darkness  receiving  the  light  made  it  plain  to  his  own 
soul  that,  always  having  had  the  light,  it  was  time  to 
acknowledge  that  the  light  should  be  the  life  of  his 
own  soul. 

In  America  he  had  only  thought  of  Christ  as  a 
good  man  and  a  great  teacher,  embodying  the  deep 
cravings  of  humanity,  and  specially  gifted  in  voic- 
ing those  cravings,  with  assurances  to  satisfy  them. 
Now,  however,  surrounded  by  heathenism,  he  saw  how 


138  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

the  world  needed  Christ,  and  without  him  was  indeed 
lost.  He  became  more  anxious  that  Nemorama  should 
fully  grasp  the  truth,  and  all  the  night,  even  until 
the  day  dawned,  while  the  wolves  barked  and  the 
jackals  uttered  their  cries,  he  told  over  and  over 
again  the  sweet  story  of  redemption.  As  the  dawn 
broke  upon  the  jungle,  and  the  wild  beasts  fled  to 
their  lairs,  both  of  them  yielded  to  weariness  and 
slept.  When  Morgan  awoke  the  full  light  of  the 
morning  was  beaming  upon  him.  Looking  around 
him  he  saw  his  fair  companion,  snugly  supported  by 
the  thick  branches  in  deep  slumber.  Her  head  was 
resting  on  a  friendly  limb  that  formed  the  pillow,  her 
lips  were  parted  just  enough  to  reveal  the  beauty  of 
her  teeth  ;  her  line  mass  of  hair  was  bound  into  a  knot 
on  the  back  of  her  head,  forming  a  protection  from  the 
hardness  of  the  limb.  Her  saree  was  thrown  partly 
aside,  revealing  the  rich  color  of  her  neck.  One 
arm,  as  if  to  prevent  her  from  falling,  was  thrown 
over  the  limb,  the  other  was  resting  on  her  breast; 
both  of  them  revealing  the  beauty  and  muscular  solid- 
ity so  prized  in  a  nautchnee. 

The  Hindus,  being  an  Aryan  race,  have  the  same 
facial  formation  as  the  Europeans  or  Americans,  and 
their  complexion  is  but  a  shade  darker  ;  hence  their 
type  of  beauty  is  about  the  same.  Nemorarna,  being 
half  English,  was  fairer  in  complexion  than  the  Hin- 
dus, and  yet  more  richly  tinged  than  the  Europeans. 
As  Morgan  gazed  upon  her,  watching  the  gentle 


LIGHT  IN  THE  JUNGLE.  139 

motion  of  her  breast  and  the  calm,  sweet  confident 
peace  of  her  face,  he  thought  of  Shelley's  words  : 

"  How  wonderful  is  Death ! 
Death  and  his  brother,  Sleep ! 
One,  pale  as  yonder  waning  moon, 
With  lips  of  lurid  blue ; 
The  other,  rosy  as  the  morn 
When,  throned  on  ocean's  wave, 
It  blushes  o'er  the  world : 
Yet  both  so  passing  wonderful ! 
Hath  then  the  gloomy  Power 
Whose  reign  is  in  the  tainted  sepulchers 
Seized  on  her  sinless  soul  ? 
Must  then  that  peerless  form 
Which  love  and  admiration  cannot  view 
Without  a  locating  heart,  those  azure  veins 
Which  steal  like  streams  along  a  field  of  snow, 
That  lovely  outline  which  is  fair 
As  breathing  marble,  perish  ? 
Or  is  it  only  a  sweet  slumber 
Stealing  o'er  sensation, 
Which  the  breath  of  roseate  morning 
Chaseth  into  darkness? 
Will  lanthe  wake  again, 
And  give  that  faithful  bosom  joy 
Whose  sleepless  spirit  waits  to  catch 
Light,  life,  and  rapture  from  her  smile? 
Yesl  she  will  awake  again, 
Although  her  glowing  limbs  are  motionless, 
And  silent  those  sweet  lips 
Once  breathing  eloquence 
That  might  have  soothed  a  tiger's  rage, 
Or  thawed  the  cold  heart  of  a  conqueror." 

For  a  while  he  continued  to  gaze  upon  her,  his 
heart  filling  with  throes  of  love  ;  then,  unwilling  that 
she  should  awake  and  see  him  thus  enamored,  he  took 


NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCEINEE. 

his  rifle  and  noiselessly  dropped  to  the  ground.  All 
about  the  tree  were  bushes  with  quantities  of  ripe 
berries  upon  them,  save  where  the  beasts  of  the  night 
had  trampled  them  as  they  rushed  to  and  fro.  Mor- 
gan knew  that  the  Hindus  did  not  eat  meat ;  they 
were  vegetarians,  and  had  a  sort  of  horror  of  flesh- 
eaters.  But  he  wanted  something  with  more  sub- 
stance than  berries,  and  as  there  were  great  droves  of 
wild  hogs  in  the  forest  he  determined  to  have  a  nice 
steak  for  breakfast. 

He  had  gone  but  a  short  distance  from  the  tree, 
and  was  looking  about  him  to  judge  the  best  course 
to  take  when  his  attention  was  attracted  by  a  person 
rapidly  moving  along  on  the  other  side  of  the  bushes 
from  him.  It  was  a  person  with  a  head  shaved  like  a 
Hindu's,  with  loins  girt  like  a  coolie's,  with  soft  and 
fair-looking  flesh,  with  beautiful  countenance  and 
graceful  motions.  In  one  hand  she  carried  a  stout 
club,  evidently  a  weapon  of  defense,  while  with  the 
other  hand  she  plucked  the  luscious  berries  and  ate 
them.  She  passed  along  until  she  came  to  the  tree 
where  the  nautchnee  was  sleeping.  There  ^  she 
stopped,  looked  as  if  horrified,  then  turned  to  flee. 
Morgan  saw  Nemorama  descending  from  the  tree, 
and  this  had  frightened  the  stranger.  Determined 
to  solve  the  mystery  of  this  person  he  rushed  from 
his  hiding-place  and  caught  her  in  his  arms.  As 
he  did  so  she  screamed  with  fright,  and  struggled 
so  hard  to  be  free  that  he  had  to  use  all  his  strength 


LIGHT  IN  THE  JUNGLE. 

to  hold  her.  It  did  not  occur  to  him  that  she  might 
be  a  Hindu  of  high  caste,  and  that  the  touch,  even,  of 
a  stranger  was  dreadful  pollution  ;  but  with  all  her 
fear  she  remembered  her  caste,  and  the  thought  of 
the  pollution  was  greater  than  her  fear. 

At  length  she  ceased  to  struggle,  and,  quieting  her 
alarm  with  gentle  words,  he  led  her  to  the  astonished 
Nemorama.  Nemorama  motioned  Morgan  to  retire 
to  a  short  distance  while  she  sought  to  soothe  the 
strange  woman.  With  gentle  words  and  caresses  she 
pacified  her.  Taking  off  her  own  saree  she  threw  it 
over  the  shoulders  of  the  stranger,  and,  as  if  with  an 
excess  of  kindness,  took  one  of  the  handsome  neck- 
laces from  her  own  neck  and  placed  it  on  the  stranger. 
Such  kindness  was  irresistible,  and,  bursting  into 
tears,  the  stranger  wept  convulsively.  When  she  had 
mastered  her  emotions  she  told  the  story  of  her  life, 
and  ended  by  saying,  "  And  now  my  name  is 
Kismut." 

When  Morgan  returned  ]S"emorama  told  him  the 
story  of  his  prisoner,  and  he  then  told  them  the  story 
of  the  tiger-hunting.  Kismut  was  greatly  interested 
in  the  remarks  the  people  made  about  her,  extolling 
her  virtues  when  they  supposed  her  to  be  dead.  She 
pleaded  that  they  would  not  reveal  the  fact  of  her 
being  alive,  but  take  her  with  them,  and  she  would 
faithfully  serve  them  wherever  they  might  go.  She 
took  them  to  the  cave  in  which  she  had  found  shelter 
since  coming  into  the  jungle.  It  was  a  hole  in  the 


142  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

rocks,  which  she  had  fortified  by  pieces  of  stone  so 
as  to  afford  protection  against  the  prowling  beasts  of 
the  jungle.  Her  only  fear  was  of  serpents,  and  her 
only  tormentors  were  the  monkeys.  The  jungle 
seemed  to  swarm  with  monkeys.  In  great  troups 
they  came  to  her  den,  and,  with  incessant  chatterings, 
made  the  most  hideous  grimaces  at  her.  But  when 
she  shook  her  stick  at  them  they  fled  into  the  neigh- 
boring tree-trops.  "They  would  steal  every  thing  they 
could  find  when  she  was  out  of  the  cave,  but  when 
she  was  there  they  kept  at  a  distance.  At  first  she 
was  greatly  alarmed  by  them,  but  she  had  learned 
that  they  were  harmless,  and,  moreover,  she  had  been 
taught  that  they  were  sacred,  so  she  laughed  at  their 
antics  and  felt  a  degree  of  companionship  in  their 
presence.  Without  them  the  jungle  would  have  been 
very  lonesome. 

By  this  time  the  morning  was  far  advanced,  and, 
as  they  had  endured  so  much  since  partaking  of  food, 
they  began  to  feel  the  pangs  of  hunger.  Kismut  led 
them  where  the  berries  were  the  most  luscious  and 
plentiful,  but  Morgan,  used  to  meat,  left  them  to  try 
again  if  he  could  find  the  kind  of  food  he  craved. 


FINDING  THE  TRAIL.  Ii3 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FINDING    THE     TRAIL. 

As  Morgan  went  deeper  into  the  jungle  in 
search  of  animals  fit  for  food,  he  reflected  on  the 
peculiar  situation  into  which  he  had  drifted.  Here  he 
was,  a  young  man,  an  entire  stranger  to  the  customs 
of  the  country,  ignorant  of  most  of  the  dialects 
spoken  by  the  people,  with  no  sympathy  for  the  pre- 
vailing religious  opinions,  having  two  beautiful  young 
women,  both  refugees,  alone  with  him  in  the  jungle. 

With  knowledge  of  their  past  lives,  and  the  cause  of 
their  being  refugees,  he  had  intelligently  and  willingly 
become  their  protector.  Now  that  he  had  become 
their  guardian,  what  should  he  do  with  them  ?  They 
might  at  any  time  be  intercepted  by  hunters,  fakirs, 
01  government  officials.  They  might  be  attacked 
by  tigers,  panthers,  bears,  wolves  or  hyenas.  They 
might  fall  victims  to  the  jungle  fever — in  fact,  it 
was  probable  that  they  would  if  they  remained  very 
long  in  the  jungle.  Hence  it  was  necessary  to  leave 
the  jungle  just  as  soon  as  they  could  with  safety. 

But  how  ? 

It  was  not  an  easy  matter  to  return  to  civilization. 
Being  an  American,  his  appearing  in  any  village 
would  awaken  general  comment,  and  every  one 


144  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

would  be  curious  to  see  him.  Then  some  one 
might  recognize  his  companions,  and,  even  if  they 
were  not  known,  the  fact  of  two  Hindu  women  ac- 
companying a  foreigner  would  arouse  public  in- 
quiries which  might  be  exceedingly  annoying.  If 
he  could  get  to  the  railroad  he  might  soon  be  hun- 
dreds of  miles  away,  but  how  to  get  to  the  railroad 
was  the  perplexing  question. 

As  he  walked  down  the  bank  of  the  jungle  stream 
he  saw  in  the  .distance  a  small  column  of  smoke  ris- 
ing above  the  trees.  The  sight  startled  him,  and  he 
determined  to  discover  the  cause  of  it.  After  walk- 
ing quite  a  distance  he  saw,  on  the  bank  of  the 
stream,  a  small  hut  well  sheltered  from  observation 
by  the  thick  growth  of  trees  surrounding  it. 

Sitting  on  the  ground  by  the  door  of  the  hut  was 
an  old  and  weather-beaten  fisherman,  engaged  in 
mending  a  net. 

Morgan  silently  walked  near  him,  then  stopped, 
and  leaned  upon  his  rifle  and  watched  tlie  man  at  his 
work.  For  some  moments  he  was  unperceived,  then, 
the  fisherman  looking  up,  with  a  terrified  stare  be- 
held the  stranger,  and,  suddenly  dropping  the  net, 
with  a  leap  and  a  bound  entered  his  hut,  shut  the 
door,  and  securely  fastened  it  from  within.  Morgan 
was  amused  at  the  man's  fright.  He  had  evidently 
never  seen  a  white  man  before,  and  although  he  tried 
to  make  him  comprehend  that  no  harm  would  be  done 
him  he  was  not  able  to  make  him  understand  a  word. 


FINDING  THE  TRAIL.  145 

The  fisherman  was  watching  the  stranger  from  a 
crack  in  the  wall  of  the  hut  when  suddenly  a  large 
bird  appeared  above  the  tree-tops,  flying  around  a 
circle  as  if  in  search  of  food.  Morgan  took  aim  at  it 
and  fired ;  the  next  minute  the  bird  dropped  at  his 
feet.  As  it  was  not  fit  for  food  he  left  it  lying 
where  it  fell.  Finding  all  efforts  to  win  the  favor  of 
the  fisherman  in  vain,  he  went  on  the  lower  side  of 
the  house,  where  the  nets  were  in  the  stream,  and 
getting  some  nice  large  fish  out  of  the  net  returned 
to  his  companions. 

When  he  told  them  of  the  fisherman's  fright  they 
laughed  heartily,  and  Kismut  said,  "  I  have  heard  of 
these  fisherman  ;  they  live  in  a  village  several  miles 
from  my  old  home.  They  sometimes  go  far  up  in  the 
jungle  and  set  their  nets  for  the  fish  in  the  solitary 
pools.  That  fisherman  will  leave  the  jungle  immedi- 
ately and  will  probably  never  return,  for  they  are  of 
the  lowest  caste,  and  are  very  superstitious." 

Morgan  now  suggested  that  they  have  a  good 
strengthening  breakfast  with  the  fish  he  had  brought. 
Just  then  a  troop  of  wild  hogs  rushed  by  them,  and 
with  quick  aim  he  brought  one  down,  and  with  his 
knife  soon  prepared  some  nice  steaks.  But  Kismut 
shrank  from  eating  flesh,  or  even  eating  with  the 
others.  It  was  violation  of  caste. 

Morgan  was  surprised,  for  he  could  not  comprehend 
the  awful  bondage  of  caste,  but  Xemorama,  un- 
derstanding it,  patiently  tried  to  overcome  the  wid- 
10 


146  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

flow's  scruple.  She  explained  to  her  that,  having 
placed  themselves  in  the  charge  of  the  American,  they 
were  bound  by  his  customs.  She  had  no  scruples, 
because  she  had  never  known  the  restrictions  of  caste 
and  in  this  respect  was  on  the  same  basis  as  their 
friend,  while  Kismut  was  now  entirely  without  caste 
standing.  She  had  left  her  home,  had  acknowledged 
herself  to  be  as  one  dead,  had  taken  a  new  name,  had 
begun  a  new  life,  and  had  received  the  caresses  of  a 
"  no  caste"  person,  so  that,  while  Mootie  was  indeed  of 
high  caste,  Kismut  was  entirely  without  caste.  She 
could  not  comprehend  it.  It  was  true  she  had  no 
caste,  and  was  Kismut,  but  she  had  Mootie's  feelings, 
and  the  thought  of  caste  violation  horrified  her. 
Never  having  eaten  meat,  she  did  not  feel  the  need 
of  it.  Morgan  patiently  told  them  about  the  social 
customs  in  America,  where  there  was  no  caste.  All 
the  people  having  the  same  rights,  they  talk  freely 
together,  ride  in  the  same  vehicles,  eat  at  the  same 
tables,  and  buy  food  from  all  classes  of  merchants. 
The  only  people  who  are  disowned  are  the  criminals, 
who  are  abhorred  because  of  their  vices. 

When  Kismut  understood  it  she  approved  of  it,  and, 
although  with  some  timidity,  began  to  look  upon  her 
companions  after  the  American  custom,  and  for  the 
first  time  in  her  life  ate  with  those  not  of  her  caste ; 
but  Morgan  alone  ate  of  the  steaks  which  Nemorama 
prepared  for  him.  Then  they  proceeded  together  to 
the  fisherman's  hut,  where  they  found  Kismut's 


FINDING  THE  TRAIL.  147 

prediction  verified.  The  fisherman  had  departed,  and 
had  taken  with  him  all  his  nets  and  work-tools,  also 
his  sleeping  mat  and  cooking  utensils;  a  sure  sign  that 
he  would  not  return.  They  were  not  sorry  for  this, 
as  it  furnished  them  with  a  house  to  dwell  in  until 
they  should  find  a  way  to  leave  the  jungle.  After 
inspecting  the  house  they  went  down  to  the  stream 
just  below  it,  and  examined  the  fish-nets  built  in  the 
water,  which  they  found  to  be  in  good  condition. 

They  were  constructed  in  this  way:  "in  a  place 
where  the  water  fell  from  a  height  the  fishermen  had 
dug  out  pits  about  the  size  of  a  house,  and,  laying 
them  with  stones  in  the  form  of  the  lower  part  of  a 
cooking-furnace,  they  had  heaped  on  stones  above  the 
pits,  leaving  only  one  passage  for  the  water  to  de- 
scend ;  they  had  piled  up  the  stones  in  such  a  manner 
that,  except  by  this  single  passage,  there  was  no  other 
for  the  fish  either  to  come  or  go.  The  water  of  the 
stream  finding  its  way  through  these  stones,  this  con- 
trivance answered  the  purpose  of  a  fish-pool.  In  win- 
ter, whenever  fish  were  required,  they  opened  one  of 
these  pits  and  took  out  forty  or  fifty  fish  at  a  time. 
In  some  convenient  place  of  the  pit  an  opening  was 
formed,  and,  excepting  at  that  outlet,  all  the  sides  of 
it  were  secured  with  rice  straw,  over  which  stones 
were  piled  up.  At  the  opening  was  fastened  a  kind 
of  wicker-work  like  a  net ;  the  two  extremities  being 
contracted  were  brought  near  each  other.  In  the  mid- 
dle of  this  first  wicker  net  was  fixed  another  piece  of 


148  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

wicker  net-work  in  such  a  way  that  the  mouth  of  this 
last  might  correspond  with  that  of  the  other,  but  its 
whole  length  be  only  about  half  of  that  of  the  one 
first  mentioned.  The  month  of  this  inner  net-work 
was  made  very  narrow.  Whatever  entered  passed  of 
necessity  into  the  larger  wicker-nef,  the  lower  part  of 
which  was  so  constructed  that  no  fish  could  escape 
back.  The  lower  part  of  the  mouth  of  the  inner 
net-work  was  so  formed  that  when  fish  had  once  entered 
the  upper  part  they  were  forced  to  proceed  one  by 
one  down  to  the  lower  part  of  its  mouth.  The  sharp- 
ened sticks  forming  the  lower  part  of  the  mouth  were 
brought  close  together.  Whatever  passed  this  mouth 
came  into  the  larger  wicker-net,  the  lower  passage  of 
which  was  strongly  secured,  so  that  the  fish  could  not 
escape;  for  if  it  happened 'to  turn  and  attempt  to 
swim  back,  it  could  not  get  up  in  consequence  of  the 
sharpened  prongs  that  formed  the  lower  mouth  of  the 
small  inner  wicker-net.  Every  time  the  fishermen 
bring  their  nets  they  fasten  them  on  the  water-course 
of  the  fish-pool  and  then  take  off  the  covering  of  the 
fish-pool,  leaving  all  its  sides  secured  by  the  rice  straw. 
Whatever  they  can  lay  hold  of  in  the  hollow  pit  they 
seize,  while  every  fish  that  attempts  to  escape  by  the 
only  issue  left  necessarily  comes  into  the  wicker-net 
that  has  been  mentioned,  and  is  taken  there."  * 

The  fisherman  had  emptied  the  pools  of  their  prey, 
but,  in  a  few  hours,  more  would  be  entrapped  in  them. 
*  Memoirs  of  Mohammed  Bdbur,  Emperor  of  Hindustan. 


FINDING  THE  TRAIL.  149 

Seeing  that  the  women  were  provided  with  a  good, 
strong  house  for  shelter  and  defense,  and  that  an  un- 
limited supply  of  fish  was  within  their  reach,  and 
that  they  were  happy  in  each  other's  company,  Mor- 
gan decided  to  leave  them  to  seek  a  way  by  which 
they  might  safely  retreat  from  the  jungle  to  some 
distant  part  of  India.  He  knew  the  general  course  of 
the  great  highway  running  to  the  north,  and  going, 
as  he  supposed,  toward  it,  reached  it  after  several 
hours'  vigorous  traveling. 

He  had  barely  entered  the  travelers'  bungalow  when 
an  attack  of  fever  prostrated  him,  and  the  fear  of 
death  and  anxiety  for  his  wards  caused  him  to  rave  in 
wild  delirium.  Fortunately  he  had  with  him  some 
quinine,  by  the  aid  of  which  he  was  able  to  break  the 
fever,  and,  though  weak,  in  a  couple  of  days  was 
able  to  proceed  with  his  plans. 

Going  to  a  village  nearest  to  the  highway  he  pur- 
chased three  palanquins  and  hired  coolies  to  carry 
them.  Two  of  the  palanquins  were  fitted  up  for  the 
use  of  ladies,  and  he  ordered  complete  suits,  of  such 
garments  as  high  caste  wealthy  ladies  were  accustomed 
to  wear  when  traveling,  to  be  placed  in  them.  With 
these  he  started  on  his  return,  anxious  to  find  his 
charges  in  safety. 

When  the  fisherman  was  sure  that  the  strange  being 
he  had  seen  had  returned  into  the  jungle  out  of 
which  he  had  come,  he  opened  his  door  and  cautiously 
picked  up  the  huge  bird  so  wonderfully  slain.  He 


150  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

turned  it  over  and  over  until  he  saw  where  the  bullet 
had  entered  on  its  fatal  errand.  Then,  going  down  to 
his  boat,  he  placed  in  it  all  of  his  movable  property,  all 
the  fish  in  his  nets,  and  last  of  all  the  bird,  then 
swiftly  pushed  his  way  down  the  stream. 

Hour  after  hour  he  steadily  forced  his  boat  ahead 
of  the  current,  with  the  fear  of  that  stranger  contin- 
ually in  his  mind.  He  could  not  think  much,  his 
mind  was  too  dull  for  that,  but  he  revolved  over  and 
over  again  every  feature  of  the  scene.  It  was  no 
dream,  no  mere  scare,  for  there  was  the  dead  bird  be- 
fore him.  At  length  he  reached  the  village,  a  cluster 
of  low  mud-huts,  where  his  people  lived,  and  in  an- 
swer to  their  words  of  surprise  at  his  early  return  he 
told  them  the  story  of  the  visit  of  the  strange  creature 
and  showed  them  the  bird  he  had  slain. 

While  he  was  telling  them  about  it,  a  holy  fakir 
entered  the  street,  and  heard  the  story.  Then  he 
told  the  people  of  the  strangers  who  had  come  to  a 
village  on  the  other  side  of  the  jungle  and  had  slain 
the  tigers.  Perhaps  this  was  one  of  them.  Then 
seeing  the  bird  he  tore  it  open,  and,  finding  the  bullet, 
before  any  one  noticed  his  action  hid  it  in  his  hair. 
It  was  precisely  the  same  as  another  bullet  which  he 
had  already  hidden  there.  Then  he  departed,  while  the 
people  were  bowing  before  him  and  begging  for  his 
blessing. 

Just  as  ihe  coolies  were  about  to  start  with  the  palan- 
quins engaged  by  the  American  the  fakir  arrived  in 


FINDING  THE  TRAIL.  151 

their  village.  As  he  was  passing  the  travelers'  bunga- 
low he  noticed  the  American  enter  one  of  three  car- 
riages, the  other  two  prepared  for  ladies,  which  were 
being  taken  into  the  jungle.  A  fiendish  smile  glowed 
on  his  wretched  countenance ;  he  felt  sure  he  was 
now  on  the  track  of  the  missing  maiden,  and  if  his 
suspicions  should  prove  correct  he  would  be  rewarded 
by  a  large  sum  of  the  rajah's  gold. 


152  NEMOBAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEK. 


CHAPTER  XT. 

JUNGLE   EXPERIENCES. 

WHEN  Morgan  departed  from  the  fisherman's  lint 
the  women  watched  him  until  they  could  no  longer 
catch  a  glimpse  of  his  manly  form.  Then  with  arms 
intertwined  they  slowly  returned  to  the  open  space 
on  the  bank  of  the  stream,  and  ate  of  the  berries 
growing  there  until  they  wished  for  no  more.  After 
this  they  proceeded  to  thoroughly  cleanse  the  hut, 
and  make  it  fit  for  them  to  dwell  in.  They  laugh- 
ingly talked  of  its  bareness.  The  fisherman  had  been 
careful  not  to  lose  any  of  his  property.  He  had  not 
left  a  vessel  to  heat  water  or  cook  food  in,  nor  a  mat 
to  sleep  upon,  nor  a  stool  or  bench ;  only  the  bare 
floor  and  walls  of  the  hut.  But  this  was  far  prefer- 
able to  a  cleft  in  the  rocks  or  the  branches  of  a  tree. 
As  they  sat  by  the  door  of  the  hut  their  attention 
was  attracted  to  a  fierce-looking  little  animal  that 
came  out  of  the  bushes  and  peered  at  them.  Just 
then  a  bird  also  hopped  upon  the  ground,  when,  quick 
as  a  flash  of  light,  the  animal  pounced  upon  the  bird, 
broke  its  head,  and  voraciously  devoured  it.  Kismut 
said,  "  Ah !  the  fisherman  had  his  pets.  There  is  a 
mangouste,  as  savage  as  a  tiger,  but  easily  tamed 
by  man.  It  has  come  to  receive  the  caresses  of  its 


JUNGLE  EXPERIENCES.  153 

master.  Sec,  it  is  not  pleased  by  our  presence.  How 
very  quick  and  ferocious  it  is  in  attacking  its  prey. 
Let  us  look  for  its  burrow ;  it  must  be  quite  near  the 
hut." 

The  animal  disappeared,  and  they  looked  for  its  re- 
treat, but,  not  finding  it,  rambled  along  to  the  bank  of 
the  creek  until  they  were  near  the  place  where  they 
had  first  met  each  other.  Here  they  sat  down  and 
talked  about  the  past.  Smiles  illumined  their  faces 
as  the  sense  of  freedom  and  companionship  filled  their 
hearts.  Solitary  as  their  case  seemed  to  be  it  was  a 
delightful  relief  from  the  thralldom  both  had  suffered 
but  a  few  days  before. 

Kismut  was  enraptured  with  her  new  acquaintance. 
She  had  never  before  met  any  one  like  her,  and  the  in- 
telligence Kemorama  displayed  amazed  her.  Nemora- 
ma  used  freely  words  which  Kismut  had  heard  only 
from  the  lips  of  learned  Brahmans,  and  even  then 
spoken  in  tones  of  awful  sanctity  ;  names  of  the  sacred 
persons  and  attributes,  and  of  the  relations  of  life.  The 
freedom  of  utterance  by  her  companion  seemed  as  open 
and  boundless  as  the  jungle  in  which  they  were  resting. 

Kismut  was  a  typical  Hindu.  She  was  almost  per- 
fect in  simplicity  and  dependence.  She  had  never 
learned  any  thing  of  the  great  outside  world ;  her 
world  had  been  the  village  in  which  she  had  always 
lived,  and  the  surrounding  jungle  was  the  extreme 
limit  of  its  attractiveness  to  her.  The  beyond  was 
like  a  shadowy  cloud — without  form,  and  void. 


154  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Within  her  home  it  was  entirely  different.  There 
she  thoroughly  understood  all  that  was  required  of 
her.  She  had  been  a  faithful  wife,  and  her  sun  was 
her  husband's  smile,  her  shrine  was  at  his  feet.  She 
had  been  taught  this  was  right,  and  she  never  ques- 
tioned this  teaching.  She  was  but  a  child  in  taste,  and 
like  all  women  of  her  class,  this  taste  lay  in  the  de- 
sire for  ornaments.  In  all  the  misery  of  her  lot 
nothing  distressed  her  more  than  to  be  deprived  of  her 
ornaments.  It  was  taking  from  her  the  only  thing  that 
could  stimulate  her  to  try  and  find  pleasure  or  pleas- 
ant thoughts  in  a  widow's  life.  In  meeting  Nemo- 
rama  she  met  one  whose  life  had  been  entirely  differ- 
ent. Nemorama  had  worn  so  many  ornaments  that  she 
was  tired  of  the  flashy  baubles.  Her  taste  was  refined 
to  desire  only  the  more  costly ;  such  as  very  wealthy 
people  wore — such  as  she  saw  decorating  the  peishwa 
and  the  ladies  of  his  palace.  She  had  met  so  many 
strangers,  and  had  seen  so  many  customs,  that  her 
vision  of  the  great  world  beyond  was  that  of  a  series 
of  worlds,  each  one  as  great  as  India,  and  each  one 
represented  by  these  various  people  she  saw  coming  to 
Bombay.  She  had  been  trained  also  in  self-reliance. 

In  all  her  experience  she  had  been  compelled  to  de- 
pend on  the  skill  of  her  own  actions,  the  strength  of  her 
own  muscles,  and  the  retentive  powers  of  her  own  mind. 
To  possess  this  self-reliance  she  lost  the  confiding  sim- 
plicity of  her  sisters,  and  she  faced  the  world,  not  to  be 
alarmed  at  its  aggressive  supremacy,  but  to  conquer  it. 


JUNGLE  EXPERIENCES.  155 

Kismut  had  been  religious  in  every  thing,  but  !Xe- 
morama  had  not  been  religious  in  any  thing.  It  was 
the  death  of  Saineh  that  opened  the  torrents  of  re- 
ligious conviction,  along  the  currents  of  which  the 
streams  were  still  flowing.  Kismut  knew  but  little 
of  the  gods  she  worshiped.  The  idols  were  very 
mysterious  to  her.  When  she  entered  their  presence 
it  was  to  prostrate  herself  before  them  and  worship, 
not  to  admire  their  forms.  Nemorama  knew  stories 
about  them  all,  and,  with  a  desire  to  please,  related  the 
wonderful  stories  she  had  learned  and  had  been  ac- 
customed to  repeat  before  the  select  audiences  in 
Bombay. 

She  repeated  the  tender  passages  from  the  Rama- 
yana,  and  stories  of  gods  and  heroes,  of  battles  and 
victories,  until  Kismut  looked  into  her  face  with  as- 
tonishment that  any  woman  should  know  so  much, 
and  could  so  easily  tell  it  to  another.  Then  they 
talked  about  their  hero,  the  noble  stranger,  who  so 
tenderly  and  yet  with  such  courtesy  cared  for  them. 

What  a  strange  being  he  was ;  so  different  from 
any  one  they  had  ever  known.  They  never  saw  him 
perform  a  religious  ceremony,  nor  bow  down  to  any 
thing  in  nature.  He  had  no  sacred  trees,  bushes, 
flowers,  nor  animals.  To  him  they  all  seemed  to  be 
on  an  equality.  Strangest  of  all  was  the  indifference 
with  which  he  ate  his  food.  Fruits,  leaves,  vegeta- 
bles, fish,  birds,  hogs,  antelopes,  and  even  buffaloes 
he  partook  of  with  equal  relish,  showing  the  most 


15C  NKMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHXEE. 

* 

utter  indifference  to  the  prejudices  of  both  Hindu 
and  Mohammedan. 

If  a  fly  lighted  upon  his  food,  instead  of  cursing 
his  companions  and  casting  the  food  away,  lie  brushed 
off  the  fly  and  ate  the  food.  Instead  of  having  his 
companions  wait  upon  him,  and  eat  what  he  left, 
he  had  them  eat  with  him,  and  freely  gave  them  the 
choicest  parts. 

And  he  had  no  respect  for  caste.  He  treated  a 
coolie  as  deferentially  as  a  Brahman,  and  only  smiled 
when  told  that  the  Brahman  sprang  from  the  mouth 
of  Brahma,  and  therefore  is  by  right  the  chief  of  the 
whole,  creation,  he  alone  having  the  right  to  the 
Vedas,  to  perform  holy  rites,  to  present  ghee  to  the 
gods,  and  cakes  of  rice  to  the  pit-ris.  And,  since 
the  Sudra  sprang  from  Brahma's  foot,  he  should  serve 
and  honor  the  higher  castes,  and  not  make  light  of 
them. 

Kisrnut  said,  "  It  must  be  his  religion,  for  how  can 
any  one  be  without  religion  ?  and  how  can  he  be  good 
except  by  the  power  of  religion  ?  " 

Then  Nemorama  told  her  the  story  of  Saineh. 
Drawing  Kismut  close  to  her,  and  caressing  her  fond- 
ly, she  said :  "  You  remind  me  so  much  of  Saiueh.  My 
heart  goes  out  to  you  as  it  did  to  her,  and  my  heart  is 
hungering  for  just  such  love  as  you  can  give.  When  I 
look  into  your  eyes  and  read  your  growing  affection 
for  me,  I  see  my  Saineh  over  again,  and  I  am  glad." 
Kismut  was  overcome  by  this  burst  of  affection,  and 


JUNGLE  EXPERIENCES.  157 

she  expressed  her  feelings  by  clasping  her  com- 
panion in  her  arms,  and  weeping  upon  her  bosom. 
When  Nernorama  told  the  story  of  the  death  of 
Saineh  and  the  comforting  words  of  the  missionary, 
Kismnt  asked,  was  not  the  missionary  a  believer  in 
the  same  religion  as  their  protector?  Nemorama 
answered,  "  Yes ;  she,  too,  was  an  American.  They 
both  talked  in  the  same  way,  and  only  last  night  in 
the  tree  he  told  me  over  and  over  the  story  of  Jesus, 
whom  he  worships  as  God.  Since  then  I  .worship 
him  also." 

"Tell  it  to  me,"  Kismnt  pleadingly  asked;  and 
Nemorama,  in  low,  sweet,  tender  words,  told  the  story 
of  Jesus  as  Morgan  had  given  it  to  her. 

Kismut  listened  with  growing  rapture.  It  was  the 
r-weetest  and  most  hopeful  story  she  had  ever  heard. 
It  met  the  deep  wants  of  her  nature.  And  when 
Nemorama,  with  her  own  soul  aglow,  repeated  tho 
words  of  Jesus,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.  Take 
'  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me :  for  I  am  meek 
and  lowly  of  heart;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your 
souls,"  Kismut  felt  the  call  as  nothing  had  ever  before 
affected  her,  and  her  soul  was  filled  with  joy.  For 
awhile  they  sat  in  silence,  thinking  on  this  story  of 
the  Saviour  of  men ;  then  as  the  shadows  lengthened 
they  watched  the  scenery  about  them. 

They  were  in  a  great  jungle ;  not  that  part  which 
had  once  been  in  cultivation  and  had  been  allowed  to 


158  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

grow  rank  and  wild  again,  but  where  probably  nature 
had  always  been  in  a  wild  state.  Back  of  them  rose 
a  hill,  covered  with  great  trees — banyan,  teak, 
ash,  oak,  pine,  and  others.  In  the  thicker  part 
of  this  grand  forest  the  trunks  of  the  trees  rose 
to  an  immense  height  before  the  branches  were 

o 

stretched  out,  and  the  grove  looked  as  though  it  had 
been  growing  for  centuries.  Below  this  grove  and 
on  the  lower  ground  grew  great  tracts  of  bamboo — im- 
mense reeds,  some  many  inches  in  diameter,  and  nearly 
fourscore  feet  in  height.  These  grew  so  thickly  that 
it  seemed  impossible  for  any  animal  to  penetrate  the 
area  covered  by  them.  Beyond  this  thicket  the 
stream  broadened  into  a  marsh  where  grew  a  number 
of  curious  plants,  one  of  which  was  the  sola,  the 
slender  stems  of  which  are  used  by  the  people  of 
India  to  make  artificial  flowers  and  fancy  ornaments 
with  which  they  decorate  their  shrines  at  the  Hindu 
festivals. 

The  women  seeing  some  stalks  of  sola  near  by 
walked  to  the  water's  edge  to  gather  them  and  exer- 
cise their  skill  in  making  ornaments  while  waiting 
the  return  of  their  friend.  From  this  point  they  had 
a  new  view  of  the  marsh,  and  to  their  dismay  beheld 
a  huge  creature  entering  the  marsh,  puffing  and  snort- 
ing as  he  plunged  into  the  water. 

The  animal  was  the  dreaded  rhinoceros.  It  was 
thicker  than,  though  not  so  tall  as,  an  elephant,  but 
the  horn  upon  its  nose  gave  it  an  appearance  of  great 


JUNGLE  EXPERIENCES.  159 

ferocity.  Their  fears  subsided  as  they  remembered 
that,  while  the  rhinoceros  is  very  strong  and  ferocious 
when  attacked,  he  is  peaceable  when  left  alone,  and 
as  he  loved  the  marshes  he  would  not  be  likely  to 
come  upon  the  higher  ground  where  their  hut  was 
located.  As  they  started  to  return  they  saw  the 
convex  flower  clusters  of  the  plant  called  mungoose, 
the  plant  that  possesses  the  virtue  of  curing  the  bite 
of  deadly  serpents.  Its  presence  suggested  the  pres- 
ence of  serpents,  and  the  women  walked  with  care 
lest  they  might  tread  upon  one.  As  they  quickened 
their  pace  they  heard  a  great  commotion  among  the 
trees.  The  branches  seemed  to  be  full  of  monkeys 
which  were  screaming  and  gesticulating  in  the  great- 
est excitement  ;  while  upon  the  ground  a  large  mon- 
key was  vainly  struggling  to  free  itself  from  the 
grasp  of  a  huge  serpent.  The  eyes  of  the  serpent 
were  like  lariro  balls  of  fire,  while  with  wonderful 

O  7 

celerity  it  wrapped  its  folds  about  the  monkey,  and  in 
less  than  a  second  had  crushed  its  victim  into  a  lifeless 
pulp.  The  women  were  horror-stricken.  They  were 
so  paralyzed  with  fear  as  to  be  unable  to  flee,  and 
expected  the  reptile  to  attack  them  the  next  moment. 
Having  crushed  its  victim,  with  anger  unabated  the 
serpent  recoiled  itself,  hissed  at  the  monkeys  in  the 
trees,  and  turned  to  lick  its  victim  preparatory  to 
swallowing  it.  But  the  hissing  of  the  serpent  had 
attracted  the  attention  of  a  species  of  rat  called  mun- 
goose, and  a  pair  of  them  came  out  of  the  thicket 


160  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEK. 

and  saw  the  serpent  in  its  work.  These  rats  have 
a  deadty  antipathy  to  serpents.  They  immediately 
rushed  upon  the  monster,  biting  it,  and  causing  it  to 
leave  its  prey  to  defend  itself. 

The  battle  was  a  fierce  one.  The  rats  leaped  about 
with  astonishing  celerity,  while  the  serpent  tried  in 
vain  to  catch  them  in  its  folds.  At  length  one  of 
the  rats  fastened  upon  the  serpent's  head,  and  in  a 
moment  had  penetrated  the  brain  with  its  sharp  teeth. 
With  a  strong  convulsive  movement  the  serpent  tried 
to  shake  it  off,  then  uncoiled  itself  and  was  dead. 
The  other  rat  had  been  badly  bitten  by  the  serpent, 
and  now  that  the  battle  was  over  ran  down  to  the 
patch  of  plants  called  by  the  same  name  as  itself,  and 
vigorously  began  to  chew  both  leaves  and  stem. 

Recovering  from  their  terror,  the  women  hastened 
from  the  place,  and  did  not  cease  running  until  they 
entered  their  protecting  hut.  The  next  day  they  only 
ventured  out  to  obtain  food,  fearing  that  the  com- 
panion of  the  serpent  might  be  in  the  neighborhood 
seeking  its  mate.  The  following  day,  as  they  sat  by 
the  door  of  the  hut,  they  heard  the  crack  of  a  rifle, 
followed  by  a  shout.  Recognizing  the  voice  of  their 
friend  they  answered  his  signal,  and  withdrew  into 
the  hut.  The  coolies  carrying  the  palanquins  now 
brought  them  into  the  open  place  before  the  hut,  and 
at  Morgan's  command  withdrew  to  await  his  call. 

Nemorama  now  came  out  of  the  hut  and  greeted 
her  deliverer,  then  taking  the  contents  of  the  palan- 


JUNGLE  EXPERIENCES.  161 

quins  again  entered  the  hut.  In  a  few  moments  she 
re-appeared  leading  Kismut,  elaborately  clothed  in 
the  garments  provided  for  her. 

Morgan  gazed  upon  Kismnt  with  admiration.  Her 
face  was  wreathed  in  smiles  of  joy  and  affection,  while 
a  modest  blush  suffused  her  cheeks.  Her  saree  was 
bound  about  her  head  so  as  to  completely  disguise  her 
shaven  crown.  It  was  arranged  in  graceful  folds 
about  her  waist,  and  falling  down  to  her  feet. 
Around  her  form  was  a  tightly  fitting  blue  silken 
bodice.  Upon  her  neck,  breast,  arms,  ankles,  she  had 
placed  ornaments,  while  jewels  sparkled  here  and 
there  upon  the  gold  spangled  saree. 

As  Morgan  did  not  attempt  to  repress  his  admira- 
tion, she  was  filled  with  delight.  The  childish  sim- 
plicity with  which  she  displayed  her  gratification 
in  the  possession  of  ornaments  only  enhanced  her 
beauty.  Touched  with  sympathy,  Nemorama  folded 
her  in  a  loving  embrace  and  kissed  her.  Morgan  now 
informed  them  of  his  plans,  and,  bidding  them  enter 
the  palanquins,  called  the  coolies,  and  they  at  once 
bade  adieu  to  the  jungle  home,  to  return  to  the  cus- 
toms of  civilized  society. 

No  one  saw  a  pair  of  eyes  from  beneath  a  mass  of 
unkempt,  mangy  hair  sharply  -staring  at  them  as  they 
passed  a  thick  clump  of  bushes. 

AVith  silent  tiger-like  tread  the  fakir  had  fol- 
lowed the  palanquins.  He  saw  Nemorama  greet  the 

American.     lie   knew  by  her   dazzling  beauty  that 
11 


102  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

she  was  the  rajah's  lost  maiden.  Slipping  up  to  the 
palanquins,  he  put  a  mark  upon  them,  and  unseen  re- 
gained his  hiding-place.  When  Kismut  cante  forth 
he  was  puzzled.  In  her  new  robes  she  was  very 
beautiful.  No  one  would  have  suspected  her  of 
being  a  widow.  The  fakir  was  puzzled.  Who  was 
she? 

With  fiendish  delight  he  saw  them  depart.  He 
thought  they  were  in  his  power,  and  in  due  time  he 
would  not  only  solve  the  mystery  of  the  second  per- 
son but  be  able  to  deliver  Nemoratna  to  the  rajah, 
and  receive  his  coveted  gold. 


FOES  IN  AGRA.  163 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

FOES   IN    AGRA. 

THE  coolies  bore  their  palanquins  through  the  jun- 
gle speedily  to  gain  the  highway  before  nightfall. 
The  fakir,  familiar  with  the  intricate  paths,  and  sure 
of  the  success  of  his  plan,  took  a  shorter  route,  reach- 
ing the  highway  at  a  point  several  miles  nearer  the 
city  to  which  they  were  going.  Evening  had  fallen 
when  Morgan  reached  the  travelers'  bungalow  where 
preparations  had  been  made  for  them  to  rest  for  the 
night,  When  he  called  the  coolies  to  begin  the 
journey  next  morning  he  found,  to  his  surprise, 
that  they  had  returned  with  the  palanquins  to  their 
village,  and  another  set  of  coolies,  with  palanquins  of 
different  pattern,  were  in  their  places.  Asking  why 
this  change  had  been  made,  he  was  informed  that  a 
messenger  had  told  the  village  chief  that  the  American 
desired  him  to  make  such  a  change  without  delay, 
and,  being  paid  for  it,  he  had  done  so  at  once.  Who 
the  messenger  was  no  one  knew.  If  Morgan  at  that 
moment  could  have  seen  through  the  shroud  in  which 
a  person  near  him  was  completely  enveloped,  he 
would  have  beheld  a  fakir  of  Hindu  faith  smiling 
with  satisfaction  at  having  circumvented  the  trick  of 
a  rival  fakir  of  the  Mohammedan  faith.  Seeing  the 


164  NEMORA.MA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

marks  upon  the  palanquins  he  had  judged  an  evil  design 
to  be  in  it,  and  succeeded  in  having  them  changed. 

Too  late  to  redress  the  wrong,  as  he  supposed  it  to 
be,  Morgan  gave  the  command  to  hasten.  Past  vil- 
lages,^ fields  of  grain,  forests  of  stately  trees,  swamps 
with  miasmatic  vapors,  and  jungles  full  of  wild 
beasts  and  impenetrable  by  man,  they  hurried  on 
their  way.  Past  fakirs  sitting  by  the  road-side  in 
the  attitude  of  devotion,  past  streams  of  travelers,  past 
lines  of  palanquins  swiftly  borne,  past  huge  elephants 
and  camels  they  sped,  until  they  saw  with  satisfaction 
the  red  sandstone  walls  of  Agra  rising  before  them. 

Agra,  at  one  time,  was  the  capital  of  the  great 
Mogul  Empire,  and  was  located  in  the  heart  of  the 
Mohammedan's  vast  dominion.  In  it  was  lavished 
the  great  wealth  and  the  fine  taste  which  marked 
the  reign  of  the  Moguls.  Those  old  Saracens  had 
been  accustomed  to  dwell  in  tents,  and. when  they 
settled  in  one  place,  and  proceeded  to  build  more 
substantial  houses,  they  built  after  the  patterns  of 
their  tents,  substituting  stone  for  canvas,  and  thus 
brought  into  existence  an  order  of  architecture  pecul- 
iarly their  own.  They  also  built  in  strong  contrasts. 
Red  sandstone  walls  with  white  marble  trimmings ; 
swelling  domes  and  slender  minarets ;  heavy  stone 
walls,  massive  and  thick,  with  delicate  leaf  and  flower 
carvings,  and  screens  all  carved  in  marble  so  thin  as 
to  let  the  light  pass  through  the  stone,  and  so  delicate 
as  to  seem  to  be  moved  by  the  wind.  Some  of  the 


FOES  IN  AGRA.  165 

buildings  erected  in  Agra  were  unsurpassed  anywhere 
in  the  world  for  combined  beauty  and  strength. 

The  citadel,  in  which  was  the  royal  palace,  was 
built  on  the  bank  of  the  river  Jumna.  Its  wall  was 
half  a  mile  long  and  sixty  feet  high.  It  was  built  of 
red  sandstone,  while  the  pavilions  of  the  palace  were 
built  of  white  marble. 

Within  this  walled  inclosure  were  handsome  walks 
flowing  fountains,  flower-beds  of  rare  beauty,  and 
marble  halls  so  arranged  as  to  catch  all  the  freshness 
in  the  air,  keeping  the  place  cool  and  enjoyable.  The 
white  marble  pavilions  were  built  upon  a  lofty  terrace, 
and  their  domes  were  gilded  so  as  to  reflect  with  daz- 
zling brightness  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

Along  the  walls  were  many  little  balconies,  with 
delicate  marble  lace-work  screens,  like  veils,  hiding 
those  inside  from  the  gaze  of  those  on  the  outside. 
Here  the  beautiful  women  of  the  Mogul  court  basked 
in  a  glory  never  excelled  in  material  splendor,  a  glory 
which  appears  the  richer  to  us  through  the  subduing 
mists  of  antiquity. 

The  travelers  hurried  past  this  place,  for  the  night 
was  approaching,  and  the  coolies  did  not  vary  the 
regularity  of  their  tread  until  they  came  to  the  gate  of 
the  missionary  compound.  The  coolies  were  now  re- 
warded and  dismissed.  "With  their  palanquins  they 
proceeded  to  the  resort  of  their  people,  to  seek  em- 
ployment in  carrying  other  travelers  on  the  way 
toward  their  home. 


166  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Miss  Thompson  received  the  travelers  with  true 
Christian  courtesy.  Morgan  had  informed  her  through 
the  mail  service  of  their  coming,  and  the  manner  in 
which  he  was  seeking  to  save  the  women.  She  entered 
heartily  into  his  plans,  and  when  she  saw  them  not 
only  admired  them  for  their  beanty  but  loved  them 
for  their  newly  found  faith.  They  needed  her  in- 
struction, she  was  eager  to  bestow  it,  and  they  were 
ready  to  receive  it. 

Having  seen  them  safely  welcomed,  Morgan  de- 
parted to  seek  refreshment  in  the  travelers'  bungalow, 
rejoicing  in  the  success  which  had  thus  far  attended 
his  efforts  in  their  behalf. 

The  fakir  who  had  crossed  the  jungle  to  intercept 
them  safely  and  speedily  reached  the  highway,  and 
sitting  by  the  road-side  carefully  scanned  the  palan- 
quins that  passed.  Hour  after  hour  he  watched — all 
through  the  night,  and  the  following  day — but  he  did 
not  see  the  marked  carriages. 

When  he  at  length  learned  how  his  victims  had  es- 
caped him  his  wrath  was  great.  His  thirst  for 
revenge  increased,  and  with  haste  he  followed  them 
to  Agra. 

Morgan  considered  himself  fortunate  in  arriving 
at  the  old  imperial  city  just  when  he  did,  for  it  was 
in  the  midst  of  extensive  preparations  to  receive  a 
rajah  from  the  north  with  a  gorgeous  parade.  For 
several  days  preceding,  throngs  of  people  from  every 
direction  came  crowding  into  the  city  to  witness  the 


FOES  IN  AGRA.  107 

parades.  Morgan  was  still  more  interested  when  he 
learned  that  the  distinguished  rajah  was  the  one  for 
whose  harem  Nemorama  had  been  purchased.  He 
had  been  informed  of  the  tragic  death  of  his  dewan 
and  the  strange  disappearance  of  the  maiden,  and  had 
offered  a  large  reward  for  the  discovery  of  her  fate. 
Thus  far  his  reward  had  been  unclaimed. 

The  parade  of  the  rajah  was  the  most  brilliant 
display  seen  in  Agra  for  many  years.  There  were 
more  than  two  hundred  elephants  in  line,  every  one 
of  them  covered  with  splendid  robes  glittering  with 
jewels.  The  officers  of  the  rajah's  court  rode  in  the 
howdahs,  and  tried  to  surpass  each  other  in  the 
quality  of  the  precious  jewels  sparkling  upon  them. 
Their  howdahs,  too,  gave  evidence  of  their  wealth. 
Some  were  entirely  covered  with  silver,  some  with 
handsome  tiger  skins,  some  were  gilded  with  bur- 
nished gold — all  were  magnificent. 

The  servants  of  the  rajah  wrere  numbered  by  the 
thousands,  some  on  horses,  some  on  camels,  and  mul- 
titudes on  foot.  Following  the  parade  of  the  ele- 
phants came  the  household  troops,  marching  with 
such  uniformity  and  precision  as  to  awaken  the  ad- 
miration of  every  one. 

In  the  evening  the  city  was  illuminated,  and  the 
weird  flashing  of  the  lights  added  a  thousand-fold 
beauty  to  the  scene. 

Morgan  had  never  before  seen  any  thing  like  it. 
It  was  in  real  life  a  scene  out  of  the  Arabian  Nigkts 


168  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Entertainment,  For  a  while  lie  thoroughly  enjoyed 
it,  until  he  became  aware  of  some  one  closely  follow- 
ing him.  Brave  as  he  was  he  felt  a  chill  of  appre- 
hension at  the  discovery.  He  was  a  stranger,  without 
any  particular  means  of  protection,  and  alone.  He 
reflected  if  his  part  in  the  events  of  the  last  few  days 
should  he  be  discovered  what  would  be  the  revenge 
of  the  rajah  and  of  the  Brahman  priests  for  his  vio- 
lation of  their  principles.  In  a  few  moments  the 
dread  passed  from  his  mind  as  he  looked  at  the  mar- 
velous display  of  fire-works  closing  the  fete.  Then, 
when  all  was  over,  with  the  crowds  he  turned  toward 
the  city  to  seek  his  resting-place.  He  had  not  gone 
far  when  a  person  completely  shrouded  touched  him 
and  requested  him  to  follow. 

Immediately  he  turned  another  way  to  escape  the 
crowd.  Although  his  guide,  whether  friend  or  en- 
emy he  could  not  tell,  was  just  in  front  of  him,  he 
could  not  tell  what  kind  of  a  man  he  could  be,  but 
he  followed  him  in  silence.  By  this  time  the  moon 
was  well  up  in  the  sky  and  casting  a  mellowing  light 
over  the  earth,  giving  to  every  object  a  peculiar 
vividness,  and  to  white  objects  startling  prominence. 

After  a  while  they  came  to  a  lofty  gate-way  which 
he  recognized.  Passing  through  it  they  entered  an 
avenue  adorned  with  fountains  and  lined  with 
cypresses.  They  walked  along  the  avenue,  until 
from  amidst  the  branches  of  the  trees  Morgan  beheld 
in  dazzling  whiteness,  possessing  an  unearthly  beauty 


FOES  IN  AGKA.  169 

from  the  playing  of  the  beams  of  moonlight  upon  it, 
the  Taj  Mahal. 

His  guide  led  him  to  a  seat  by  one  of  the  fount- 
ains, where  he  could  gaze  upon  the  rounded  domes, 
the  slender  minarets,  and  the  massive  walls  so  brill- 
iantly white  in  the  full  rays  of  the  moon,  and  set 
against  the  dark  blue  of  the  sky.  Then  his  guide 
threw  aside  his  shroud,  revealing  the  hideous,  filthy 
form  of  a  Mohammedan  fakir.  So  sudden  was  the 
change,  so  violent  the  contrast,  that  Morgan  leaped 
from  his  seat  and  stared  at  him  in  speechless  amaze- 
ment. But  the  fakir  calmly  seated  himself  on  the 
ground  and  motioning  Morgan  to  resume  his  place, 
pointed  toward  the  Taj  and  said,  "  American,  do  you 
see  that  wonderful  building  ?  I  am  told  that  there 
is  nothing  in  the  world  to  equal  it.  And  yet  it  is  in 
a  country  despised  by  your  people  as  in  gross  dark- 
ness. You  see  its  richness  in  jewels,  its  refinement  of 
sculpturing,  its  elegance  of  design  and  perfect  execu- 
tion, and  yet  you  boast  of  your  mechanical  and  ar- 
tistic skill,  even  while  confessing  you  have  neither 
the  men  to  plan  such  a  work,  nor  the  workmen  to 
execute  it.  You  notice  that  its  purpose  is  to  honor  a 
woman,  and  yet  in  your  poverty  and  greed  you  boast 
how  woman  is  honored  in  your  land,  and  cry  out 
against  us  because  you  say  we  despise  women.  Have 
you  ever  seen  in  your  own  land,  or  in  any  other 
land  save  this,  any  thing  to  honor  woman  as  this  does? 
Stranger,  surely  nowhere  in  the  world  is  woman 


170  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

honored  as  she  is  with  us.  Do  you  not  know  that 
often-times  our  rulers  have  been  entirely  controlled  by 
theirwives  ?  Noor  Jehan,  the  '  Light  of  the  World,'  • 
was  the  real  ruler  of  the  empire,  while  all  the  ablest 
warriors  of  her  time  were  compelled  to  honor  her 
ability  and  power.  Have  you  heard  of  Lakshmi  Baiee, 
the  queen  of  Jahnsee,  who  held  the  entire  British 
army  in  check  twenty-four  hours,  and  would  have 
come  off  victorious  if  a  fatal  bullet  had  not  struck 
her  down  ?  Have  you  heard  of  Alleah  Baiee,  who 
for  twenty  years  devoted  herself  to  her  people  until 
all  classes  and  all  religions  blessed  her  sweet  influence  ? 
Or  of  Aus  Khoor,  who  took  charge  of  the  disorgan- 
ized State  of  Pattiala,  and  in  one  year  restored  order 
and  established  prosperity  ?  Do  you  not  know  that 
in  the  popular  stories  taught  the  children  of  our 
country,  the  honor,  bravery,  and  power  of  female 
heroes  is  loudly  praised  ?  * 

"  In  times  of  war  our  women  have  distinguished 
themselves  as  nurses,  the  equals  of  any  in  the  world. 
In  your  travels  have  you  not  seen  the  richness  of 
the  houses  of  our  princes,  in  which  the  finest  verandas 
are  for  the  women,  in  which  they  can  recline  upon 
the  richest  carpets  of  Persia,  and  enjoy  an  atmos- 
phere laden  with  the  choicest  perfumes  ?  Have 
you  not  read  what  one  of  our  poets  has  written  ? 

"  '  Her  smiling  countenance  resplendent  shines 
With  youth  and  loveliness  ;  her  lips  disclose 
Teeth  white  as  jasmine  blossoms  ;  silky  curls 


FOES  IN  AGKA.  171 

Luxuriant  shade  her  cheeks ;  and  every  limb, 
Of  slighest  texture,  moves  with  natural  grace, 
Like  moonUeams  gliding  through  the  yielding  air.' 

"  You  think  you  honor  your  women  by  parading 
them  before  the  gaze  and  subjecting  them  to  the  re- 
marks of  all  classes  of  men,  but  we  honor  woman  by 
shielding  her  from  this  publicity.  She  shines  within 
her  own  home.  She  cultivates  a  religious  spirit,  she 
studies  faithfulness  to  her  husband  and  children;  she 
recognizes  home  as  her  sphere  and  contact  with  the 
world  as  the  sphere  of  her  husband.  He  is  made  strong 
to  be  able  to  cope  with  the  temptations  of  the  world. 
She  is  made  tender  and  refined  to  grace  with  her 
loveliness  the  protected  home,  a  place  where  she  re- 
ceives honor  from  all." 

Morgan  was  again  astonished.  Another  sharp  con- 
trast. Ideas  in  defense  of  purity  and  gentleness 
proceeding  from  the  stained,  coarse  lips  of  a  filthy, 
unwashed  fakir.  What  would  he  hear  next  ? 

For  a  moment  the  eyes  of  the  fakir  were  bent  with 
almost  a  tiger's  ferocity  upon  his  own,  and  then  the 
deep,  harsh  voice  said,  "Stranger,  why  have  you 
come  here  to  injure  our  women,  and  lead  them  astray  ? 
Is  that  the  way  you  honor  them  ?  Why  have  you 
despoiled  the  house  of  the  honored  rajah  by  stealing 
his  fair  jewel,  and  hiding  her  from  his  loving  search  ? 
Tell  me !  where  have  you  hidden  the  nautchnee  ? 

For  a  moment  Morgan  was  alarmed.  How  came 
this  man  by  his  information  ?  How  much  did 


172  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTGUNEE. 

he  know?  Recovering  his  tranquillity,  determined 
to  reveal  nothing,  he  said  with  an  air  of  calm 
indifference,  as  he  returned  the  gaze  of  the  fakir, 
"  What  did  you  ask  ?  " 

With  eyes  glittering  like  coals  of  fire,  the  fakir  again 
asked,  "  Where  have  you  hidden  the  nautchnee?" 

With  the  same  unruffled  composure  Morgan  replied, 
"  Who  is  she  ? " 

The  fakir  then  took  two  bullets  out  of  his  hair. 
Holding  them  up  so  that  Morgan  could  see  them  he 
said,  "  With  this  one  you  pierced  the  heart  of  the 
bird  ;  with  it  the  rajah  will  pierce  your  heart.  With 
this  other  one  you  pierced  the  brain  of  the  elephant ; 
with  it  the  rajah  will  pierce  your  brain  !  Farewell." 

Like  a  shadow  he  disappeared  in  the  shrubbery  and 
Morgan  was  left  alone. 


THE  SKIES  BRIGHTEN.  173 


CHAPTER  XYIL 

THE     SKIES    BRIGHTEN. 

As  Morgan  looked  toward  the  Taj  lie  became  more 
tranquil.  The  tall  slender  minarets  seemed  to  him 
as  the  white  arms  of  women  stretching  heavenward  in 
prayer,  prayer  for  the  deliverance  from  the  bondage 
of  caste  and  lust.  There  was  absolute  silence  about 
him  and  he  could  think  without  interruption.  He 
now  realized  his  danger.  The  strange  inscrutable 
power  of  the  fakir  was  arrayed  in  deadly  enmity 
against  him,  and  his  secrets  were  known.  How  they 
had  been  discovered  he  could  not  imagine,  but  there 
was  the  fact.  They  were  known. 

One  thing  was  necessary  to  be  done  at  once.  He 
must  get  the  women  out  of  Agra,  and  out  of  his  own 
company.  If  he  must  suffer  the  rajah's  wrath,  so  be 
it,  but  if  possible  they  must  be  saved.  Somber  re- 
flections filled  his  mind  as  he  slowly  walked  down  the 
avenue,  out  of  the  gate,  and  along  the  deserted  road 
to  his  bungalow. 

Early  next  morning  he  went  out  upon  the  high- 
way looking  at  the  people  as  they  carried  on  their 
ordinary  avocations.  As  he  recalled  the  splendid 
pageants  of  the  day  before  he  wondered  what  could 
check  the  power  which  these  native  chief  tains  exercised 


174  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

over  the  people.  In  a  ^certain  sense  they  honored 
the  English,  but  they  would  not  under  any  consid- 
eration eat  at  the  same  table  with  them,  nor  would 
they  eat  food  upon  which  the  shadow  of  a  European 
had  fallen,  even  though  it  be  the  queen's  son.  They 
were  a  subject  people,  but  not  in  the  least  an  affiliated 
people. 

Looking  toward  the  citadel  Morgan  saw  the 
English  flag  waving,  the  emblem  of  the  power 
which  kept  the  land  in  peace.  Seeing  the  flag, 
his  courage  was  renewed,  and  he  determined  to  pur- 
sue his  course  unto  the  end.  Still,  he  did  not  see 
how  he  could  claim  protection,  for  was  he  not 
proceeding  in  violation  of  the  customs  of  the  land  \ 
Nay ;  he  must  work  out  the  problem  to  the  best  of 
his  skill,  and  if  he  failed  he  would  fail  like  a  man. 

Suddenly  his  reflections  were  broken  by  hearing  a 
familiar  voice,  and  to  the  amusement  of  the  people 
a  big  red-headed  Irishman  rushed  up  to  him,  and 
grasping  his  hand,  while  his  eyes  danced  with  delight, 
exclaimed,  "  An'  sure,  an'  is  it  yerself,  Mister  Morgan, 
that  I  am  seein,  in  this  haythen  place  ?  By  my  troth 
it  was  reported  of  yez  that  yez  had  gone  to  make 
a  supper  for  the  wild  beasts  of  the  jungle,  bad 
luck  to  them !  Faix,  an'  I  tole  them  as  had  the 
audacity  to  say  the  same  that  they  didn't  know  the 
likes  o'  yez  or  they  would  niver  make  such  a  remark 
at  all  at  all." 

Morgan  was  heartily  glad  to  see  Dennis,  and  after 


THE  SKIES  BRIGHTEN.  175 

the  first  explosion  of  the  Irishman's  joy  asked  the 
welfare  of  Captain  Grey.  Dennis  replied,  "  Sure,  now, 
an'  the  captain  is  well,  many  thanks  to  yez,  and  is  in 
his  fortress  among  the  mountains  back  of  Bombay, 
an'  fye  jest  sent  me  up  here  to  see  if  it  was  true  as  was 
reported  of  yez  that  yez  was  bein'  after  havin'  died. 
An'  now,  bad  luck  to  the  loikes  of  thim  as  gave  such 
reports  to  distress  your  friends,  I  can  return  and  say 
the  dead  has  come  to  life  ag'in,  an'  the  lost  sheep 
isn't  devoured  by  tigers  at  all  at  all.  Beggin'  your  par- 
don, sur,  but  the  captain  will  be  mighty  plased  to 
know  yez  are  a  livin'  bein',  sur." 

A  plan  now  suggested  itself  to  Morgan.  Dennis 
was  brave,  loyal,  and  discreet ;  why  not  enlist  his  serv- 
ices to  get  out  of  his  present  difficulty  \  With  a 
word  of  caution  he  led  him  out  of  the  crowd,  and  out 
of  the  city ;  and  when  they  were  in  the  midst  of  a 
field,  where  no  one  could  hear  them,  he  told  Dennis 
of  his  predicament,  and  the  absolute  need  of  out- 
witting the  fakir,  the  rajah,  and  the  host  of  their  foes. 
Dennis  was  delighted  with  the  romance  of  the  situ- 
ation, and  vowed  nothing  would  please  him  more 
than  to  take  part  in  it,  and  promised  even  his  life 
to  his  friend  in  order  to  save  "  the  poor  haythen 
craytures." 

In  a  few  words  Morgan  sketched  his  plan.  Den- 
nis's eyes  opened  wide  with  wonder  at  it,  but  he  did 
not  hesitate.  By  all  the  saints  in  his  vocabulary  he 
vowed  he  would  faithfully  carry  out  the  part  intrusted 


176  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

to  him.  Then  they  separated,  each  one  to  prepare  for 
his  part. 

jMorgan  was  hastening  toward  his  bungalow  when 
his  attention  was  attracted  to  a  crowd  of  people  rever- 
ently bowing  before  a  holy  fakir.  From  the  conduct 
of  the  people  he  imagined  that  this  fakir  must  be  of 
more  than  ordinary  sanctity,  for  the  women  devoutly 
got  down  on  their  knees  before  him,  and  kissed  the 
ground  where  his  holy,  unwashed  and  callous  feet 
had  trod. 

Morgan  drew  near,  impelled  to  study  the  man's 
manner  of  receiving  these  attentions  and  how  he  man- 
ifested the  tokens  of  holiness.  He  first  observed  that 
it  was  a  Hindu  fakir,  and  the  acts  of  reverence  were 
from  the  Hindus.  For  a  while  he  looked  at  him  at- 
tentively, as  the  fakir  sat  motionless  with  closed  eyes, 
more  like  a  statue  than  a  living  person.  After  a 
while  he  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  toward  Morgan. 
In  an  instant  there  was  a  mutual  recognition.  It  was 
the  fakir  who  had  committed  to  his  care  the  nautch- 
nee.  Without  a  word,  but  by  the  changing  expres- 
sion of  his  eyes,  he  held  the  attention  of  the  white 
man  until  the  crowd  had  passed  by  and  they  were 
alone. 

Then  addressing  Morgan  by  the  word  meaning  for- 
eigner, he  said :  "  Feringnee,  you  have  done  well. 
You  have  shown  that  you  possess  a  noble  spirit. 
You  have  also  learned  what  a  treasure  the  maiden  is 
whom  I  committed  to  your  care.  Do  not  be  discouraged 


THE  SKIES  BRIGHTEN.  177 

by  the  threats  of  your  enemy,  nor  by  the  distresses 
into  which  you  may  fall.  If  you  are  wise  and  brave 
and  true  you  will  succeed  in  the  end.  Do  not  mind 
the  way,  keep  the  end  in  view.  The  enemy  who  led 
you  to  the  Taj  is  still  watching  you,  and  has  learned 
where  the  women  are.  You  must  remove  them 
at  once,  but  do  not  be  seen  with  them  in  doing  so. 
Send  them  to  the  south-west  in  the  care  of  the  Irish- 
man. He  will  know  how  to  protect  them.  Do  not 
yourself  go  south  until  you  see  me  again.  I  will 
find  you.  Beware  of  the  Mohammedan  fakirs. 
They  are  in  the  employ  of  the  rajahs,  and  work 
for  gold.  If  you  need  me,  or  are  in  trouble,  find  a 
Hindu  fakir  and  show  him  this  stone,  and  then  I 
will  come  to  you.  Use  this,  however,  only  in  an. 
extremity." 

With  this  he  gave  Morgan  a  brilliant  ruby  upon 
which  were  inscribed  some  mystical  signs.  The  next 
moment  he  waved  Morgan  a  farewell,  as  a  crowd  of 
people  were  approaching  to  pay  him  reverence. 

That  same  evening,  with  cautious  tread,  as  if  un- 
willing to  attract  attention,  Morgan  took  two  palan- 
quins, borne  by  coolies,  to  the  missionary  compound. 
They  passed  inside  the  inclosure,  and  after  a  short 
stay  came  out  again  and  swiftly  glided  out  upon  the 
highway  toward  the  cast.  As  they  did  so  the  Mo- 
hammedan fakir  sprang  from  behind  a  cluster  of 
trees,  and  keeping  in  the  shadows  along  the  road,  fol- 
lowed them.  Morgan  seemed  to  be  urging  the  coolies 
12 


ITS  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

to  a  more  rapid  gait  than  was  usual  with  them,  as 
they  sped  on  toward  Benares.  When  they  came  to 
their  first  resting-station,  the  fakir,  watching  his  op- 
portunity, again  placed  his  mark  upon  the  palanquins, 
and  then  leisurely  went  on  in  advance  at  a  slower 
pace  than  they  traveled.  When  after  several .  hours 
lie  heard  them  coming  he  hid  himself  by  the  road- 
side, and  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Morgan 
and  his  palanquins  pass  him  on  the  road.  Thus,  with 
delight  in  his  vigilance,  the  fakir  followed  them  all 
the  way  to  Benares. 

The  keen  scent  of  the  fakir  was  now  matched 
against  Yankee  shrewdness.  Morgan  seemed  to  be 
exceedingly  careful  that  no  one  should  approach  his 
palanquins.  His  coolies  acted  as  if  they  were 
conveying  most  particular  persons,  of  the  high- 
est caste,  and  while  the  curtains  were  kept  so  close 
that  no  one  could  possibly  see  the  occupants 
with  assiduous  attention  Morgan  attended  to  their 
comfort. 

While  this  scene  was  being  enacted  on  the  highway 
to  Benares,  another  scene  was  being  consummated  in 
Agra.  A  short  time  after  the  departure  of  the  palan- 
quins from  the  missionary  compound  a  lad  left  the 
gate  and  carefully  searched  the  immediate  neighbor- 
hood to  see  if  any  person  was  there  in  waiting.  See- 
ing no  one  was  near,  he  walked  on  his  way  toward 
the  Taj.  In  a  few  moments  another  lad  walked  out 
of  the  gate,  and  proceeded  in  the  same  direction. 


THE  SKIES  BRIGHTEN.  179 

It  was  a  beautiful  night.  The  moon  had  risen  and 
was  casting  its  softened  light  upon  the  Taj,  which 
was  resplendent  in  all  its  wonderful  impressive  glory. 
There  were  crowds  of  people  on  the  highway  between 
Agra  and  the  Taj — Mohammedans,  Hindu?,  foreigners, 
travelers,  pilgrims.  It  seemed  as  if  all  the  world  sent 
representatives  to  view  the  building  on  such  charm- 
ing nights.  Palanquins  were  passing  to  and  fro.  Men 
on  horses,  camels,  and  on  bullock-carts  were  hasting 
on  their  way.  Merry  parties  with  loud  laughter  or 
songs,  others  as  silent  as  the  moon  in  its  march, 
some  to  wonder,  some  to  worship — so  the  crowds 
moved  on.  The  two  lads  joined  each  other  on  the 
way  but  were  not  distinguished  as  companions,  be- 
cause they  spoke  not,  and  others  were  pressing  on  by 
their  side. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  beautiful  tomb,  accom- 
panying a  number  of  others,  they  followed  a  guide 
through  the  gardens,  around  the  tomb,  and  then 
through  its  spacious  precincts.  Then  having  seen  all 
the  attractions  of  the  place,  they  returned  to  the  gate 
of  the  garden,  and  employed  palanquins  to  convey 
them  to  the  village  leading  into  the  country  south 
of  Agra. 

By  the  Taj  gate  numbers  of  palanquins  were  in 
constant  waiting  for  wearied  visitors  to  the  tomb,  to 
convey  them,  for  a  small  compensation,  wherever  they 
chose  to  go.  The  lads  were  taken  to  their  destina- 
tion, and  at  the  travelers'  bungalow  called  for  a  room 


1 80  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

in  which  they  might  spend  the  night.  They  dis- 
missed their  coolies,  who  returned  to  the  Taj  to  serve 
other  customers. 

When  morning  dawned,  they  called  for  palanquins 
to  convey  them  to  the  next  village  toward  the  south. 
Just  as  they  were  about  to  start  another  traveler,  who 
had  spent  the  previous  day  in  the  village,  started  in  a 
palanquin  going  the  same  road.  This  last  individual 
commanded  the  respect  of  all  the  servants  about  the 
bungalow.  He  was  a  tall,  robust,  dignified-looking 
man,  clothed  as  a  dragoon  in  the  English  service. 
With  a  free  hand  he  paid  his  charges,  and  rewarded 
with  extra  sums  those  who  diligently  served  him. 
He  seemed  to  be  very  particular  as  to  his  palanquin 
and  its  furniture. 

Seeing  the  others  start  at  about  the  same  time, 
he  waited  for  them  to  precede  him,  saying  loud 
enough  tor  them  to  hear,  "  Whin  I  travel  in  a  strange 
land  like  this  1  am  excadenly  careful  of  me  kompany. 
An'  'tis  myself  would  like  to  know  if  such  as  are  in 
the  pracading  carriages  are  honorable  and  dacent, 
an'  if  so,  thin  I  am  plased." 

The  master  of  the  bungalow  informed  him  that  the 
preceding  company  were  harmless  lads  and  he  need 
not  fear  defilement  from  their  touch  or  their  words. 
Dennis  then  announced  himself  satisfied,  and  began 
his  journey. 

The  lads  seeing  his  red  hair  and  hearing  his 
broad  brogue  knew  that  he  was  their  protector,  and 


THE  SKIKS  BRIGHTEN.  18 L 

he  knew  that  the  palanquins  before  him  contained 
Nemoraraa  and  Kismut,  by  the  red  ribbon  which  for 
a  moment  fluttered  from  the  right  hand  window  of 
their  carriages.  With  swift  pace  and  hopes  of 
deliverance  they  passed  on  their  way. 


182  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  HOLY  CITY  OF  THE  HINDUS. 

As  Morgan  drew  near  to  Benares,  he  was  compelled 
to  proceed  slowly,  for  the  roads  were  crowded  by  the 
hosts  of  people  flocking  thither  from  all  parts  of  the 
country,  to  be  at  the  great  mela  just  about  to  begin. 
The  swarms  of  travelers  pitched  their  tents  in  the 
open  plains  along  the  banks  of  the  sacred  Ganges, 
above  the  city.  It* was  a  curious  spectacle  made  by 
the  weary  travelers  as  they  reached  the  river  and  man- 
ifested the  rapture  of  their  souls  by  their  leapings 
and  prostrations.  Some  came  on  camels,  some  on 
horses,  some  on  oxen  or  in  ox-carts,  but  multitudes 
afoot.  Mothers  brought  their  little  babes  to  wash 
them  in  the  holy  water.  Old  men  and  women 
with  excessive  weariness  hobbled  along  to  receive  the 
blessing  of  a  bath  in  the  river.  Many  brought  their 
aged,  or  their  sick,  to  give  them  the  blessed  felicity 
of  dying  in  sight  of  the  sacred  stream,  while  others 
eagerly  welcomed  any  accident  that  might  cause  their 
death  in  so  sacred  a  place. 

In  front  of  every  tent  fires  were  burning  at  which 
the  women  did  the  cooking  for  their  households. 
Every  one  that  came  brought  two  baskets ;  one  con- 
taining the  food  to  eat,  the  other  the  ashes  of  their 


THE  HOLY  CITY  OF  THE  HINDUS.  1S3 

dead  to  cast  into  the  flowing  waters  of  the  sacred  stream. 
On  the  borders  of  the  camp  were  the  burning  ghats, 
where  those  who  died  were  consumed,  and  the  ashes 
then  flung  into  the  sacred  river. 

All  day  long,  and  far  into  the  night,  the  throngs 
crowded  the  banks,  waiting  their  opportunity  to  enter 
the  waters  and  bathe.  It  seemed  to  be  a  confused 
crowd  of  pilgrims,  pressing  npon  each  other,  and  yet 
they  were  most  careful  to  preserve  themselves  from. 
contact  with  those  beneath  them  in  caste.  It  was  not 
now  a  question  of  wealth,  culture,  official  favor,  or 
meritorious  distinction.  It  was  caste,  and  even  the 
distinctions  of  the  remotest  clanship  within  the  gen- 
eral orders  of  caste  were  carefully  sought  for  and 
acknowledged.  The  sacred  cord  across  the  breast 
was  the  symbol  of  power,  and  the  pariah  dared  not  so 
much  as  look  into  the  face  of  a  Brahman  wearing  the 
three-stranded  cord. 

The  most  superstitious  ideas  filled  the  minds  of  the 
pariahs  concerning  the  power  of  these  Brahmans  to 
execute  vengeance  upon  their  enemies.  The  pros- 
pect of  enduring  the  awful,  unending,  beastly  or 
reptilian  transmigrations  for  their  disobedience  or 
presumption  was  appalling  to  their  stupid  minds. 
The  pariah,  therefore,  was  as  careful  to  keep  out  of 
the  way  of  the  white-robed  Brahman  as  the  Brah- 
man was  to  avoid  touching,  even  with  the  passing  of 
his  garments,  the  accursed  pariah. 

About    two   miles   from   the   city,   in   an   elegant 


184  NEMOUAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEK. 

quarter,  the  English  residents  had  built  palatial  houses 
with  all  modern  improvements,  and  in  a  style  of  ar- 
chitecture combining  the  airiness  desired  in  India 
with  the  solidity  characteristic  of  their  own  land. 
Their  suburb  was,  therefore,  a  constant  reminder  of 
their  home  land. 

Morgan  hastened  to  this  place,  and  with  a  great 
show  of  style  had  the  coolies  convey  the  palanquins 
into  private  rooms,  and  after  the  distinguished  ladies 
had  alighted  and  passed  into  another  room,  the  palan- 
quins were  removed.  In  this  case  the  lady  travelers 
happened  to  be  bundles  of  old  clothes.  The  coolies 
then  bore  their  palanquins  to  the  general  rendezvous, 
while  the  fakir  watched  to  see  what  would  become  of 
the  ladies  until  the  rajah's  servants  should  secretly 
take  possession  of  them.  Benares  was  the  holy  city 
of  the  Hindus.  To  it  they  directed  their  pilgrimages, 
as  the  Mohammedans  to  Mecca,  or  the  Jews  to  Jeru- 
salem. It  is  the  most  ancient  city  in  India,  and  from 
the  earnest  historic  period  has  been  the  seat  of  Hindu 
learning  and  worship.  It  has  more  than  three  hun- 
dred mosques,  with  slender  minarets  pointing  heaven- 
ward, in  which  the  Mohammedans  worship,  and  more 
than  a  thousand  pagodas  with  lofty  pinnacles  sacred  to 
the  idols  of  the  Hindus.  Here  is  the  great  Sanskrit 
college  of  the  Hindus,  where  their  most  brilliant 
scholars  gather  and  study  the  Yedas.  Here,  too, 
Buddha  preached  his  reform  doctrines,  and  came  so 
near  to  changing  the  religion  of  his  people. 


THE  HOLY  CITY  OF  THE  HINDUS.  185 

Here  arc  located  great  manufactories,  in  which  the 
greatest  skill  is  displayed  by  Hindu  workmen  in  their 
manufacture  of  silk,  cotton,  and  woolen  goods.  In 
the  bazaars  of  the  city  are  to  be  found  the  finest 
shawls  of  the  north,  the  diamonds  of  the  south,  and 
the  muslins  of  the  east.  The  city  has  more  than  two 
hundred  thousand  inhabitants,  and  this  number  is 
more  than  doubled  during  the  melas,  when  the  pil- 
grims come  from  all  parts  of  the  land.  The  city  is 
built  on  the  bank  of  the  Ganges,  the  most  sacred  river 
in  the  world.  The  palaces  of  the  wealthy  crowd  the 
river's  brink  for  a  distance  of  two  miles  ;  in  some 
places  so  closely  that  the  water  has  undermined  the 
palaces,  and  the  ruins  show  how  powerfully  at  times 
the  waters  have  swept  along.  Stone  steps  extend,  the 
whole  length  of  the  city,  to  the  water's  edge,  down 
which  the  people  descend  daily  to  bathe  in  the  sacred 
waters.  The  Ganges  is  here  about  half  a  mile  wide. 
All  day  long  crowds  of  gaily  ornamented  boats  glide 
on  its  surface.  The  city  is  built  very  compactly ; 
the  streets  being  narrow,  and  the  houses  lofty.  The 
material  used  for  building  is  mostly  stone.  In  the 
streets  of  Benares,  narrow  as  they  are,  the  Hindus 
avoid,  with  the  greatest  care,  touching,  or  being 
touched  by,  even  the  clothing  of  an  unbeliever. 

In  the  midst  of  such  a  population  Paul  Stanhope 
had  set  up  the  banner  of  the  cross,  and  with  all  the 
fervor  of  his  soul  was  telling  the  story  of  the  love  of 
Jesus.  He  did  not  have  only  poor,  ignorant,  heart- 


186  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

hungry  people  as  hearers^  but  learned  pundits,  who 
were  teachers  of  Hinduism,  and  skillful  dialecticians 
from  their  schools,  and  sharp,  disputatious,  sophistical 
fakirs,  and  a  people  who,  instead  of  hungering  for 
the  Gospel,  were  shocked  at  any  intimation  that  their 
religion  was  not  the  best  and  the  only  true  religion 
known  to  men. 

With  such  audiences  the  difficulties  of  winning 
converts  seemed  to  be  almost  insurmountable.  The 
missionary  was  in  his  school-room,  giving  final  in- 
structions to  his  company  of  native  helpers  as  to  the 
places  they  were  to  occupy  and  the  work  they  were 
to  do  during  the  days  of  the  festival,  when  Morgan 
entered  arid  beheld  him  for  the  first  time  since  their 
parting  in  Bombay. 

At  the  first  glance  Stanhope  recognized  his  visitor, 
and  with  an  exclamation  of  joy  leaped  from  his  chair, 
and  with  both  hands  extended  in  greeting  catne  to 
meet  him.  His  face,  wreathed  in  smiles,  told  of  the 
joy  in  his  heart  at  seeing  one  of  his  own  countrymen, 
and  he  said  to  Morgan,  by  way  of  explanation,  "I 
never  imagined  how  lonely  one  could  be  when  week 
after  week  would  pass  by  and  only  the  faces  of  the 
people  of  other  races  meet  your  gaze.  There  are  many 
compensations  in  a  missionary's  life,  but  the  absence 
of  one's  own  race  is  a  hardship  which  grows  upon 
you.  We  are  constantly  dealing  with  crowds.  O 
what  multitudes  there  are !  and  what  a  perpetual  din 
of  strange  customs  about  us.  Faces,  faces  every- where, 


THE  HOLY  Crrr  OF  THE  HINDUS.  187 

until  we  look  upon  men  almost  as  herds  of  cattle,  and 
we  yearn  for  the  companionship  of  what  seem  to  us 
to  be  real  men — that  is,  our  own  English-speaking 
white-faced  people.  But  now  that  you  have  come,  I 
feel  at  home  again. 

"  And  you  have  been  to  Agra  ?  Tell  me  all  about 
what  you  saw  there.  Miss  Thompson  wrote  me 
about  your  adventures,  and  she  thinks  you  are  quite 
a  hero — in  which  opinion  I  coincide.  But  I  cannot 
tell  you  how  much  I  thank  God  that  you  are  now  a 
disciple  of  our  Lord  and  Redeemer.  I  feel  that  you 
are  a  brother  beloved  in  the  Lord." 

With  this  warm  greeting  Morgan  felt  an  answering 
thrill  of  friendship,  and  at  this  moment,  when  heart 
beat  in  sympathy  with  heart,  the  missionary  was 
dearer  to  him  than  any  man  had  ever  been.  He,  too, 
felt  the  sweet  sensation  of  brotherly  love,  and  joy 
filled  his  heart.  His  mind  was  full  of  questions.  He 
felt  that  he  knew  so  little  of  Christ,  and  now  that  he 
had  opened  his  heart  to  the  Saviour,  he  desired  to 
closely  study  his  word.  Thus  far  he  had  an  intel- 
lectual apprehension  of  the  divine  word ;  now  he 
thirsted  for  the  spiritual  illumination. 

When  the  two  men  were  alone  Paul  Stanhope, 
with  his  Bible  on  his  knees,  in  clear  and  logical  order 
expounded  to  his  friend  the  great  doctrines  of  divine 
grace.  Morgan  spent  the  next  day  in  watching  the 
mela  or  religious  festival  of  the  Hindus.  In  various 
parts  of  the  camp  were  the  high  poles,  with  flags 


188  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

flying  from  them,  showing  the  location  of  the  tents 
of  those  who  had  gottten  up  the  festival.  Around 
the  edges  of  the  camp  were  merchants  with  booths, 
selling  every  kind  of  an  article  the  people  would 
want  either  for  use  or  ornament  In  many  places 
were  pleasuring  parties  and  dancing-girls  to  tempt 
and  delude  the  unsteady.  While  the  religious  feature 
was  most  prominent,  the  attractiveness  of  sin  and  dis- 
sipation was  not  absent. 

In  some  places  throughout  the  camp  learned  pun- 
dits, or  doctors  of  Hindu  law,  sat  on  the  ground 
reading  in  a  loud  monotonous  voice  from  the  Vedas. 
Great  crowds  gathered  around  them  to  listen  to  the 
sacred  words.  In  other  places  fakirs  were  sitting  on 
the  ground  receiving  the  gifts  and  the  adorations  of 
the  multitudes.  Many  of  these  fakirs  were  entirely 
nude,  with  filth  like  scales  on  their  bodies,  with  their 
long  hair,  uncombed  for  years,  matted  together,  and 
filled  with  filth.  Their  nails  were  untrimmed  and 
resembled  the  claws  of  wild  beasts.  Many  of  them 
were  the  more  hideous  through  bodily  mutilations. 

One  had  held  his  arm  in  an  unchanged  position  for 
years  until  it  could  not  fee  bent,  and  his  finger-nails 
had  grown  down  around  his  wiist.  Another  was  re- 
clining on  a  bed  of  sharp  spikes  that  pierced  his  body 
whichever  way  he  turned.  Another  had  not  eaten  a 
morsel  of  food  for  a  month,  and  did  not  intend  to  eat 
until  the  festival  closed.  Another  had  inserted  steel 
wires  into  his  flesh,  and  with  a  sort  of  fiendish  delight 


THE  HOLY  CITY  OF  THE  HINDUS.  389 

was  causing  himself  the  most  acute  pain.  Another 
had  inserted  hooks  in  his  flesh  beneath  his  shoulder- 
blades,  and  upon  a  high  swing  was  swinging  himself 
to  and  fro  suspended  by  these  hooks. 

Before  these  fakirs  the  people  gathered  and  pros- 
trated themselves  with  greatest  reverence.  They 
awakened  the  most  enthusiastic  admiration,  and  the 
most  hideous  were  the  most  admired.  The  pure- 
hearted,  devout  Hindu  women  with  ardent  devotion 
kissed  the  ground  made  sacred  by  the  tread  of  these 
holy  fakirs. 

As  Morgan  watched  them  he  learned  another  feat- 
ure of  fakir  character — that  was  their  intense  jealous- 
ies. The  various  clans  manifested  this  spirit,  and  the 
Mohammedan  fakirs  were  in  perpetual  strife  with  the 
Hindu  fakirs.  Sometimes  when  they  met  they  fought 
with  each  other,  and  in  these  contests  displayed  the 
ferocity  of  wild  beasts.  They  knew  no  mercy,  and 
only  the  death  of  one  of  them  ended  the  struggle. 

Their  power  of  malediction  was  awful.  They 
could  utter  the  most  terrifying  imprecations  upon 
their  foes,  and  the  fear  of  their  curse  was  enough  to 
make  child,  wroman,  man,  or  ruler  oifer  great  sacri- 
fices to  appease  them.  While  this  was  the  power  of 
many  there  were  others  who  were  sincere  devotees, 
who  had  given  up  the  pleasures  of  life  to  become 
ascetics  for  God. 

Some  were  learned  Brahmans  who  were  now  fulfill- 
ing vows  made,  and  they  were  honored  with  the 


190  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

greatest  reverence  because  they  had  given  up  all  the 
pride  of  life  to  become  holy.  The  law  giving  direc- 
tions to  the  sanynasi,  or  Brahman  devotee — such  as 
were  some  of  these  fakirs — for  the  thoughts  he 
should  cherish  says  :  "  A  sannyasi  should  reflect  on  the 
transmigrations  of  men,  which  are  caused  by  their 
sinful  deeds  ;  on  their  downfall  into  a  region  of  dark- 
ness and  their  torments  in  the  mansions  of  Yarua; 
on  their  separation  from  those  whom  they  love  and 
their  union  with  those  whom  they  hate  ;  on  their 
strength  being  overpowered  by  old  age  and  their 
bodies  racked  with  disease ;  on  their  agonizing  de- 
parture from  this  corporeal  frame  and  their  formation 
again  in  the  womb  ;  on  the  misery  attached  to  em- 
bodied spirits  from  a  violation  of  their  duties  and  the 
imperishable  bliss  which  attaches  to  embodied  spirits 
who  have  abundantly  performed  every  duty." 

The  moral  courage  of  a  life  of  such  self-abnegation 
as  was  practiced  by  the  truly  devout  fakir  aroused  the 
highest  state  of  admiration  and  reverence  in  the 
hearts  of  the  Hindus.  To  them  a  fakir  was  sacred. 
There  were  thousands  of  fakirs  attending  this  mela, 
and  in  companies  of  hundreds  they  would  march 
down  to  the  river  bank  and  receive  the  adoration  of 
the  passing  multitudes. 

As  Morgan  was  observing  one  of  these  groups  he 
saw  the  fakir  who  had  led  him  to  the  Taj  and  had 
threatened  him  so  furiously.  As  he  looked  at  Mor- 
gan he  made  a  low  and  peculiar  noise  with  his  mouth. 


THE  HOLY  CITY  OF  THE  HINDUS.  191 

Instantly  every  fakir  in  the  company,  following  his 
gaze,  looked  at  Morgan.  For  a  moment  Morgan's 
heart  felt  faint,  for  he  knew  that  from  this  moment 
he  was  a  marked  man,  and  that  every  one  of  these 
fakirs  would  seek  his  destruction.  He  hastily  passed 
to  another  part  of  the  camp.  As  he  passed  by  another 
group  he  beheld  the  fakir  who  had  befriended  him, 
and  when  he  saw  the  large  company  of  Hindu  fakirs 
surrounding  him  he  felt  assured  that  he  woujd  find 
help  in  the  time  of  need.  He  continued  on  his  way 
until  he  came  once  more  to  the  missionaries'  tent. 

The  missionaries'  tent  was  established  by  the  side 
of  the  main  road  along  which  the  crowd  must  pass  to 
get  to  the  river.  The  missionary,  assisted  by  a  num- 
ber of  native  helpers,  was  spending  his  entire  time 
in  preaching,  tract  distributing,  and  selling  Bibles 
and  various  religious  books. 

Paul  Stanhope  had  carefully  studied  the  Hindu- 
stance  language  and  the  dialect  in  most  common  use 
about  Benares,  and  was  able  to  address  the  people  in 
their  own  tongue.  As  he  preached  to  them  some 
laughed  at  his  words,  some  listened  with  deep  interest, 
and  some  kept  up  a  running  comment  upon  his  state- 
ments or  asked  him  questions. 

At  times  it  seemed  to  approach  a  free  debate,  in 
which  there  would  be  sharp  questions  and  sharp  an- 
swers. Now  a  Hindu  pundit  would  interpose  a  ques- 
tion, now  a  Mohammedan  moulvie  would  deny  his 
statements,  now  a  fakir  would  resent  his  teachings, 


192  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

now  a  passing  show  of  actors  or  curiosities  would 
break  upon  his  audience — and  so  the  work  went  on. 
The  crowds  were  always  ready  to  enjoy  his  defeat  if 
they  got  such  a  chance,  or  to  laugh  at  his  victory  if 
won  by  smartness.  The  quickness  of  the  Hindu's 
mind  in  suggesting  illustrations  and  analogies  was 
wonderful,  and  the  missionary  soon  learned  that  in 
the  crowds  before  him  were  men  of  great  learning, 
knowiag  well  their  sacred  books,  and  able  debaters  of 
their  faith.  When  he  became  convinced  that  these 
public  discussions  only  amused  the  people  and  did  not 
convert  them,  he  turned  from  that  method  and 
preached  the  simple  story  of  the  cross. 

To  this  the  people  listened ;  to  know  more  of  it 
they  read  the  tracts  and  purchased  the  books,  and 
when  daylight  had  passed  many  of  them  came  to  the 
missionary  tent  to  inquire  more  particularly  into 
these  things. 

In  this  manner  the  work  was  carried  on  day  after 
day,  and  the  story  of  Jesus  was  taken  by  these  pil- 
grims to  their  distant  homes.  The  missionary  received 
many  invitations  to  visit  their  villages  and  preach 
more  of  the  glad  tidings  of  forgiveness  and  salvation 
to  them.  It  was  so  different  from  the  religions  they 
had  known,  and  it  was  as  a  refreshing  fountain  to 
their  thirsting  souls. 

The  missionary  noticed  that,  as  a  rule,  those  who 
received  his  doctrine  were  the  low  caste  people,  or 
the  pariahs,  and  only  occasionally  a  Brahman.  The 


THE  HOLY  CITY  OF  THE  HINDUS.  193 

multitudes  of  high  caste  people,  clothed  in  pure  white 
robes,  passed  him  by  without  deigning  to  heed  his 
call. 

The  unceasing  nature  of  the  work,  from  the  break 
of  dawn  until  late  at  night,  was  a  great  strain  upon 
his  nerves,  and  long  before  the  feast  closed  his 
strength  began  to  give  way.  It  seemed  as  if  years  of 
labor  must  be  crowded  into  one  month.  He  kept  to 
his  post  until  the  close  of  the  feast,  and  then,  utterly 

prostrated  by  his  toil,  hoped  for  rest. 
13 


194  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

DENNIS    IN   TROUBLE. 

DENNIS  took  charge  of  the  ladies  with  the  firm  re- 
solve to  break  the  head  of  any  man  that  attempted  to 
interfere  with  them  or  hinder  their  journey.  His 
honor  was  at  stake.  A  trust  had  been  laid  upon  him 
which  he  considered  sacred.  His  heart  swelled  with 
pride  as  he  thought  of  his  unique  position  in  the  midst 
of  a  stealthy  and  heathen  people.  His  courtesy  could 
not  be  excelled.  At  times  in  the  course  of  the  journey 
he  surprised  the  ladies  by  the  manner  in  which  he 
would  assure  them  that  they  could  fully  trust  him. 

They  had  resumed  their  female  attire  with  the  sec- 
ond change  of  coolies,  and  he  had  taken  the  charge  of 
the  three  palanquins.  They  readily  perceived  that 
he  was  showing  them  loyal  gallantry,  but  it  was  in  a 
manner  just  the  opposite  of  that  to  which  they  were 
accustomed.  They  were  quiet,  he  was  noisy ;  they  ut- 
tered but  few  words,  he  was  talking  all  the  time ; 
they  interspersed  many  religious  observances  in  their 
daily  life  and  conversation,  he  seemed  to  be  utterly 
without  such.  But  they  were  satisfied,  because  they 
had  complete  trust  in  the  judgment  of  their  protector 
and  in  his  assurance  that  Dennis  was  honest,  loyal, 
and  brave. 


DENNIS  IN  TROUBLE.  195 

Impressed  by  the  warnings  he  had  received,  Dennis 
was  constantly  observant  of  fakirs.  Numbers  of 
them  were  passed  on  the  road,  for  they  abounded  in 
India.  It  was.  popular  to  be  a  fakir.  He  had  often 
heard  Captain  Grey  tell  how  they  carried  the  secret 
messages  of  the  rajahs  which  caused  the  surprise  in 
the  mutiny  of  1857 ;  and  whenever  lie  saw  one  he 
thought  some  secret  must  lie  hidden  in  his  mind,  to 
some  day  be  given  out  in  the  cause  of  evil.  He  was 
just  a  little  afraid  of  their  treachery.  It  would  have 
afforded  him  great  pleasure  to  have  broken  some  of 
their  heads  with  his  club,  but  he  well  knew  that  if  he 
raised  his  hand  against  one  of  them  the  fanaticism  of 
the  people  would  be  aroused  and  every  man  would 
hasten  to  resent  the  blow. 

Dennis  delighted  in  military  regularity ;  and  as  he 
watched  how  gracefully  the  coolies  carried  the  palan- 
quins hour  after  hour,  he  was  loud  in  his  praise  of 
their  service.  At  the  end  of  the  third  day's  journey, 
as  they  alighted  for  rest  from  the  palanquins  and  en- 
tered the  travelers'  bungalow,  Dennis  noticed  the 
sharp  eyes  of  a  fakir  observing  every  motion,  and  he 
knew  that  they  were  being  watched.  At  the  close  of 
the  next  day  the  same  thing  was  repeated.  This  time 
the  fakir  did  not  make  himself  prominent.  His  man- 
ner would  have  indicated  to  a  stranger  utter  indiffer- 
ence to  what  was  passing  about  him.  But  Dennis  saw 
behind  this  outward  show.  The  keen  glitter  and  subtle 
expression  of  the  fakir's  eyes  could  not  be  misunder- 


106  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE, 

stood.  Dennis  assumed  an  air  of  unconcern  before 
others  and  seemed  to  be  in  a  happy  mood,  but  not  a 
word  escaped  him  regarding  his  companions  or  the 
object  of  their  journey.  But  when  alone  in  his  pal- 
anquin his  brow  was  wrinkled  in  deep  perplexity,  and 
he  frequently  shook  his  head  and  muttered  to  him- 
self as  he  sought  to  solve  the  problem  how  to  elude 
his  pursuers. 

After  a  while  he  observed  that  different  fakirs 
were  watching  him,  and  he  began  to  comprehend  the 
system  of  telegraphing  by  which  they  girdled  India. 
He  saw  that  they  did  not  work  as  solitary  individuals, 
but  as  an  organized  band,  and  his  fear  of  them  in- 
creased. Whenever  he  came  in  sight  of  the  flag 
of  England  his  courage  revived  and  his  heart  grew 
light,  for  he  feared  no  treachery  beneath  its  folds ; 
but  sometimes  days  passed  in  which  he  seemed 
to  be  in  the  heart  of  heathenism.  Dark  faces,  primi- 
tive social  customs,  multitudes  of  people,  towns  with 
many  pagodas,  troops  of  fakirs,  and  wretchedness 
crowded  the  country  through  which  they  were  pass- 
ing. They  also  frequently  passed  through  patches  of 
jungle  in  which  man-eating  tigers  had  their  lairs  and 
deadly  serpents  crawled.  Through  such  places  they 
hastened  in  silence  and  in  fear,  and  they  never 
entered  them  near  the  hours  of  darkness. 

They  were  passing  through  one  of  these  lonely  and 
long  stretches  of  jungle,  when  a  number  of  men 
suddenly  sprang  out  of  the  bushes  and  with  savage 


DENNIS  IN  TROUBLE.  197 

shouts  rushed  upon  them.  In  an  instant  Dennis 
leaped  from  his  palanquin  to  the  ground  and  com- 
manded the  coolies  bearing  the  maidens  to  go  on. 
As  the  brigands  endeavored  to  stop  the  coolies,  Den- 
nis drew  his  revolver  and  shot  the  man  who  had  laid 
his  hand  upon  the  foremost  palanquin.  The  man  fell, 
but  another  sprang  to  take  his  place.  Dennis  quickly 
shot  him  also ;  and  as  he  fell  the  palanquin  was  liber- 
ated, and  the  coolies  bearing  it  rushed  down  the  road 
with  all  the  speed  they  possessed. 

The  brigands  now  closed  about  the  other  palanquin, 
and  the  coolies,  thoroughly  frightened,  dropped  it  and 
ran  for  their  lives.  Dennis  stood  by  it  and  fought 
the  robbers,  every  shot  of  his  revolver  with  unerring 
aim  felling  a  foe.  But  the  barrels  were  soon  empty, 
and  the  crowd  of  foes  pressed  upon  him  so  fiercely 
that  he  could  no  longer  defend  himself  and  fell  to  the 
ground  beneath  their  clubs,  bleeding  and  senseless. 
The  brigands,  supposing  him  to  be  dead,  left  him 
with  their  slain  comrades  and  hastily  retreated  into 
the  jungle,  carrying  the  palanquins  which  the  coolies 
had  forsaken. 

Dennis  was  blessed  with  a  thick  skull,  and  in  a  short 
time  regained  the  use  of  his  senses  and  beheld  the 

o 

carnage  about  him.  His  first  thought  was,  "  Where 
are  the  ladies  ? "  Those  committed  to  his  care  were 
taken  from  him,  and  he  was  still  alive.  What  would 
he  say  to  Mr.  Morgan,  to  Captain  Grey  ?  His  head 
was  racking  with  pain,  but  this  thought  was  torture  to 


198  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

his  heart.  lie  would  rather  have  been  killed  in  the 
battle  than  live  with  this  disgrace.  He  sat  down,  and 
pressing  his  head  between  his  hands  looked  at  the 
evidences  of  the  straggle.  By  his  side  were  the  rob- 
bers he  had  slain.  He  counted  them.  Every  bullet  in 
his  revolver  had  cost  a  man  his  life.  For  a  moment  he 
was  silent,  and  then  he  arose  and  exhausted  his  vocabu- 
lary in  maledictions  on  his  foes.  The  shadows  were 
lengthening,  and  with  the  darkness  hyenas  or  wolves 
would  come  out  of  the  jungle  and  so  completely  devour 
the  slain  that  by  the  morning's  light  not  a  trace  would 
be  left  of  them.  Fearing  lie  might  suffer  the  same  fate, 
he  took  one  of  the  brigands'  clubs  in  his  hand,  and 
with  his  empty  revolver  in  the  other  hand,  walked 
back  to  the  village  through  which  he  had  passed  only 
a  couple  of  hours  before. 

Dennis  had  learned  something  of  the  political  sys- 
tem of  the  provinces  in  India,  a  system  of  village 
government  as  old  as  the  Aryan  invasion. 

The  unit  of  government  in  India  is  the  village,  and 
each  villag  e  community  is  a  little  republic  having 
every  thing  within  itself,  and  in  the  most  of  cases  en- 
tirely independent  of  foreign  relations. 

The  holders  of  land,  farmers,  mechanics,  and 
workers  of  every  kind,  compose  the  commune,  sus- 
taining a  relation  toward  each  other  like  the  members 
of  a  family  to  one  another.  Their  code  of  morals  is 
determined  largely  by  this  relation.  They  are  truth- 
ful, honest,  and  accommodating  to  each  other,  while  to 


DENNIS  IN  TKOUBLK.  199 

foreigners,  or  the  people  of  some  other  village,  they 
may  present  an  entirely  different  character  without 
thinking  it  to  be  wrong.  To  lie  to  one  of  their  own 
village  would  be  a  disgraceful  act,  but  to  lie  to  one 
of  another  villlasre  would  be  shrewdness,  and  not 

o  * 

wrong-doing.  This  code  of  morals  they  observe  in 
all  the  acts  of  life.  It  shows  the  narrowness  of  hea- 
thenism ;  all  the  world  outside  the  borders  of  their 
own  village  being  considered  legitimate  ground  for 
preying. 

When  we  remember  that  India  has  448,320  villages 
with  less  than  one  thousand  inhabitants  each,  we  can 
see  why  they  have  been  so  easily  conquered  by  the 
English,  and  why  they  are  held  in  restraint  when 
there  is  only  one  Englishman  to  every  thirty-five  hun- 
dred of  the  people  of  India.  Their  villages,  as  a 
country,  have  no  cohesive  attraction.  And  yet  there 
is  a  sort  of  a  union.  Sometimes  a  number  of  villages 
will  unite  in  a  confederacy  which  they  call  a  grama- 
gala.  There  is  also  a  system  of  taxation  by  which  one 
officer  will  collect  taxes  from  many  villages  for  the 
one  who  holds  the  land  in  subjection.  When  eighty- 
four  villages  are  united  for  this  purpose,  it  is  called 
katurasite. 

Dennis  had  been  assailed  within  the  borders  of  one 
of  these  villages,  and  knowing  he  could  hold  the  vil- 
lage responsible  for  his  loss  he  determined  to  enforce 
his  claim  for  justice  and  reparation. 

When  he  reached  the  village  he  sought  the  dwelling 


200  NKMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

of  the  chief  man,  and  while  a  crowd  gathered  about 
him,  loudly  complained  of  the  injuries  he  had  received. 
They  could  not  deny  his  having  passed  through 
their  village  so  recently,  and  his  bruised  and  bleed- 
ing face  was  evidence  of  the  blows  he  had  received. 
Alarmed  at  the  serious  aspect  of  the  affair,  the  chief 
man  immediately  dispatched  a  number  of  men  to  the 
scene  of  the  conflict,  to  be  witnesses  of  the  harm  done. 
When  these  men  arrived  at  the  place  they  found  the  hy- 
enas fighting  over  the  bodies  of  the  slain.  Driving  them 
off  with  their  torches,  they  examined  the  bodies,  and 
pronounced  them  to  belong  to  a  band  of  robbers  whose 
stronghold  was  in  the  jungle,  and  that  for  a  long 
time  they  had  been  molesting  travelers.  Notwith- 
standing the  gusto  with  which  this  information  was 
given,  Dennis  was  not  disposed  to  accept  it  as  a  final 
settlement  of  the  affair.  "What  he  wanted  was  his 
palanquins  and  the  companions  of  his  journey.  With 
thorough  Irish  vehemence  he  boasted  of  his  being  an 
officer  of  the  government,  on  important  business  with 
distinguished  companions,  and  if  the  villagers  did  not 
make  the  matter  right  the  government  would. 

The  violence  of  manner  with  which  Dennis  made 
this  threat  thoroughly  frightened  the  villagers,  and 
they  promised  to  collect  at  once  a  strong  body  of  men, 
and,  as  soon  as  daylight  came,  to  do  all  they  could  to 
discover  the  stolen  persons  and  property. 

While  gathering  the  men  for  this  mission,  torches 
were  seen  rapidly  approaching  on  the  highway. 


DENNIS  ix  TROUBLE. 

When  they  came  near,  they  were  seen  to  be  torches 
home  hy  the  coolies  who  were  the  bearers  of  the 
palanquins  in  which  the  nautchnee  had  been  traveling, 
who  had  escaped  the  robbers  by  rushing  forward  in 
obedience  to  Dennis's  command.  When  they  arrived 
at  the  next  stopping-place,  they  discovered  that  their 
passenger  had  mysteriously  disappeared,  and  they 
immediately  returned  in  search  of  her.  Dennis  ex- 
amined the  palanquin.  Nemorama's  garments  and 
possessions  were  there,  but  she  was  not,  and  there 
were  no  signs  of  a  struggle  or  confusion  in  the 
palanquin. 

He  was  now  more  distressed  than  ever.  The  vil- 
lagers could  not  restrain  their  pity  as  they  witnessed 
his  deep  anguish  of  spirit.  Physical  exhaustion  and 
the  excessive  pain  from  the  wounds  he  had  received 
rendered  him  incapable  of  controlling  his  emotions  as 
he  thought  of  the  probable  fate  of  his  wards. 

Soon  after  daylight  the  villagers  were  ready  to  start, 
and  a  large  number  of  excited  men  followed  Dennis 

O 

and  the  village  chief  to  the  place  of  the  conflict. 
Scouts  were  sent  out  who  soon  discovered  the  trail  of 
the  brigands,  and  with  rising  enthusiasm  the  entire 
party  plunged  into  the  jungle. 

For  a  long  distance  their  track  was  in  a  forest  of 
lofty  trees,  which  they  pursued  until  they  came  to  a 
ravine  in  which  a  nowing  stream  hid  all  traces  of  the 
brigands  from  their  sight.  The  scouts  scoured  the 
ravine,  but  were  utterly  unable  to  discover  further 


202  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

signs  of  the  trail.  In  doubt  and  perplexity  they  con- 
tinued down  the  ravine  until  they  came  to  a  place 
where  great  masses  of  rock  shut  in  the  stream, 
showing  the  possibilities  of  an  ambuscade  by  which 
they  might  all  be  slaughtered.  As  they  stopped  to 
consider  what  course  to  pursue,  their  attention  was 
attracted  to  a  person  climbing  down  the  rocks  toward 
them,  and  evidently  anxious  to  reach  them.  As 
the  person  came  nearer,  Dennis  was  enraptured 
to  see  that  it  was  Nemorama.  Her  garments 
were  badly  torn,  and  she  was  suffering  from  fa- 
tigue, her  feet  were  bleeding  from  the  cuts  and 
bruises  inflicted  by  the  sharp  stones  over  which  she 
had  passed.  She  was  so  eager  to  tell  her  story  to 
Dennis  that  she  seemed  unaware  of  the  presence  of 
the  others.  She  said :  "  When  I  was  borne  away  from 
the  conflict,  I  knew  from  the  numbers  of  assailants 
that  they  would  conquer.  When  at  a  safe  distance 
the  coolies  stopped  for  a  few  moments,  and  ran  back 
to  see  how  the  battle  was  going ;  then  I  slipped  out  of 
the  palanquin,  closed  the  curtains,  and  hid  myself  in 
the  bushes.  The  coolies  returned  quickly,  and  were 
too  excited  to  notice  the  lightness  of  the  palanquin, 
but  with  rapid  strides  pressed  on  their  way.  I  cau- 
tiously returned  to  the  place  of  the  conflict,  and  seeing 
the  robbers,  carrying  Kismut  with  them,  followed 
them,  hoping  by  some  chance  or  other  to  be  able  to 
deliver  her.  O,  it  was  hard  work  to  perform.  The 
robbers  traveled  rapidly,  shouting  and  cursing  as  they 


DENNIS  IN  TROUBLE.  203 

•went,  and  I  following,  in  fear  lest  I  might  lose  them, 
or  they  might  discover  me.  When  it  became  dark 
they  had  their  torches,  but  I  could  only  follow  their 
lights.  Many  times  I  stumbled  and  fell,  then  I  was 
in  fear  lest  the  breaking  of  a  twig,  or  a  stone  falling 
down  the  hillside,  moved  by  my  tread,  might  attract 
their  notice.  The  thought  of  venemous  serpents  in 
my  way  also  came  into  my  mind,  and  only  the  hope 
of  delivering  Kisraut  gave  me  strength  to  continue. 
When  they  came  to  these  rocks,  they  ceased  their 
shoutings,  and  slowly  climbed  them,  and  then  pro- 
ceeding along  a  very  dangerous  way,  came  to  their 
den,  and  there  Kismut  is  now  in  their  grasp,  and  they 
are  resting  until  it  suits  them  to  go  on  another  foray." 
The  men  were  now  anxious  to  proceed,  and  as  Ne- 
morama  pointed  out  the  way  they  moved  forward  as 
silently  as  it  was  possible  for  them  to  tread.  Above 
the  rocks,  the  narrow  path  ran  by  the  side  of  great 
ledges,  by  deep  precipices,  and  around  sharply  jutting 
crags.  Dennis  noticed  that  in  such  a  place  a  few 
men  could  keep  at  bay  great  hosts,  but  the  robbers 
thoughtlessly  left  the  pathway  unguarded.  After  a 
wrhile  they  came  to  a  plateau,  and  saw  before  them 
the  robbers'  resort.  It  was  a  cave  in  the  side  of  a 
great  mass  of  rocks.  Before  the  cave  was  a  level  area 
upon  which  the  robbers  were  taking  their  ease.  Some 
were  lying  asleep,  some  were  chatting  with  compan- 
ions, some  were  eating,  while  others  seemed  to  be 
discussing  plans  for  future  deeds. 


NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Their  resort  was  in  the  depths  of  the  jungle.  The 
iungle  for  many  miles  lay  below  them,  and  off  in  the 
distance  the  highway,  like  a  slender  thread,  was  seen. 
It  was  a  fortress  and  a  watch-tower,  and  as  Dennis 
marked  its  features  as  a  fortification  he  did  not  won- 
der that  the  robbers  had  never  been  overcome. 

Dennis  now  quietly  communicated  to  his  followers 
his  plan  of  attack,  and  then,  with  a  rush  and  a  yell, 
they  all  sprang  forward,  and  before  the  robbers  could 
recover  from  their  surprise  were  upon  them.  The 
conflict  was  short  and  desperate.  The  surprise  was 
complete,  and  in  a  few  moments  all  the  robbers  who 
were  not  killed  or  badly  wounded  had  fled  down  the 
narrow  path  beyond  their  cave. 

Going  into  the  cave  they  found  the  palanquin,  and 
Kismut  in  it  suffering  from  the  terror  which  the 
menaces  of  the  robbers  had  produced.  Folded  in 
Nemorama's  arms  she  soon  recovered  tranquillity,  and 
then  the  entire  party  prepared  to  return  to  the  vil- 
lage. The  cave  was  well  stocked  with  provisions  and 
weapons,  and  in  it  were  also  found  great  stores  of 
goods  stolen  from  defenseless  travelers.  The  chief 
villager  had  an  account  taken  of  all  the  possessions 
found  in  the  cave,  and,  with  the  wounded  robbers  as 
prisoners,  began  the  homeward  march.  The  women 
were  gently  borne  in  the  palanquins,  and  Dennis  was 
carried  in  a  palanquin  hastily  prepared  for  the  pur- 
pose. Now  that  his  wards  were  recovered  he  showed 
utter  prostration,  and  as  he  was  being  carried  slept 


DENNIS  IN  TROUBLE.  205 

BO  soundly  that  the  village  was  reached  before  he 
awoke. 

On  the  following  day,  having  recovered  from  his 
fatigue  and  his  wounds  having  been  bound  up  with 
ointments,  he  resumed  his  journey,  anxious  to  reach 
Bombay  before  the  beginning  of  the  inclement  season. 


206  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

i 

ZENANA    WORK    OPENED. 

IN  a  village  not  very  far  from  Benares  one  of  the 
missionaries  had  established  himself,  and  was  build- 
ing np  an  extensive  work.  He  chose  the  vil- 
lage in  order  to  be  away  from  the  curious  crowds 
of  the  city,  where  he  could  preach  and  teach  those 
who  in  quiet  desired  to  learn.  When  the  mela  was 
over  he  insisted  that  Stanhope  should  come  to  his 
home  and  rest.  Morgan  encouraged  his  friend  to 
do  so,  and  promised,  as  an  inducement,  to  accompany 
him. 

It  was  an  ordinary  village.  The  houses  were  con- 
structed of  bamboo  frame-work  covered  with  matting 
or  with  mud,  with  a  thatched  roof  extending  over  it 
all.  These  houses,  simple  in  construction,  were  built 
very  light,  and  closely  along  narrow  lanes.  Most  of 
them  contained  large  families,  often  several  gen- 
erations dwelling  in  the  one  house. 

Generally  when  a  fire  broke  out  in  one  of  these 
houses  it  swept  the  street  and  caused  loss  of  life,  for 
the  flames  spread  so  rapidly  that  it  was  impossible  to 
extinguish  them.  This,  however,  was  but  seldom, 
because  the  religious  customs  of  the  people  led  them, 
to  exercise  great  care  in  all  they  did.  In  front  of 


ZENANA  WORK  OPENED.  207 

most  of  the  houses  the  plant  called  melmdee  was 
cultivated.  When  in  blossom  it  is  very  pretty  with 
its  small,  delicate,  fragrant  flowers  resembling  the 
clematis. 

The  high  caste  Hindu  women  cultivate  this  plant 
to  afford  them  dyeing  material.  They  bruise  the 
leaves,  and  then  moisten  them  with  lime-water. 
They  then  apply  this  mixture  to  their  nails,  tips  of 
the  fingers,  palms  of  the  hands,  and  often  the  soles  of 
the  feet,  which  in  a  short  time  become  a  reddish- 
orange  color,  the  stain  remaining  until  the  skin  is 
worn  away.  In  these  villages  the  people  are  very 
particular  in  presenting  their  caste  and  clan  symbols. 

"  The  sectarian  marks  of  the  Hindus  vary  with  their 
caste  and  the  deity  to  whom  they  attach  themselves. 
The  high  caste  Brahman  makes  only  a  circular  mark 
with  a  little  sacred  mud  of  the  Ganges,  mixed  with 
water,  on  his  forehead.  This  is  symbolic  of  the  mys- 
tic word  'Anm.'  The  followers  of  Vishnu,  a  second 
grade  of  Brahmans,  use  a  species  of  clay  brought 
from  a  pool,  Dhwaiaka,  in  which  the  seven  shepherd- 
esses who  are  always  represented  with  Krishna  are 
supposed  to  have  drowned  themselves  on  hearing  of 
the  death  of  their  favorite  hero.  This  mark  is  a 
circle  with  a  straight  line  passing  through,  symboliz- 
ing the  regenerative  powers  of  nature.  The  Mahadeo 
sect  wear  two  straight  lines  on  the  brow ;  the  one  on 
the  right  stands  for  God,  the  one  on  the  left  for  man. 
A  transverse  streak  of  red  lime  (a  preparation  of 


208  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

turmeric  and  lime)  joins  them,  signifying  God  and  man 
united.  A  great  many  wear  the  mark  of  Vishnu's 
weapon  with  which  he  is  supposed  to  have  killed  the 
sea  monster  to  rescue  from  destruction  the  three 
Yedas.  The  followers  of  Siva,  one  of  the  four  great 
sects  of  Hindus,  wear  a  complex  mark  of  circle  and 
cross  combined,  made  with  the  Tishes  of  burnt  cow 
ordure,  symbolizing  the  destruction  of  all  sin  and  the 
beatitude  in  store  for  the  pure  and  holy." 

Thus  every  man  carried  his  mark,  which  at  a  glance 
manifested  just  what  belief  he  held.  No  Hindu  was 
ashamed  of  his  religion. 

In  the  villages  each  sect  had  its  own  pagoda,  to 
which  the  people  freely  gave  their  offerings.  They 
always  took  an  offering  when  they  approached  their 
god. 

The  missionary  built  his  station,  or  compound,  on 
the  outskirts  of  the  village,  on  a  piece  of  elevated 
ground  by  the  side  of  the  main  road,  and  in  a  place 
with  abundant  shade. 

The  main  building,  or  missionary  bungalow,  was  a 
large  one-story  house,  built  of  bamboo  and  mud,  and 
kept  attractive  with  whitewash.  The  thatched  roof 
extended  over  the  verandas,  under  which  the  air  cir- 
culated through  wide  doors  and  windows. 

The  chapel  was  built  of  the  same  material.  In  htis 
building  morning  and  evening  prayers  were  offered, 
and  on  Sundays  the  people  were  gathered  for 
more  elaborate  instruction.  The  school-house  was 


ZENANA  WORK  OPENED.  209 

open  six  days  of  the  week,  and  closed  on  Sunday. 
Here  various  branches  of  learning  •were  taught, 
and  all  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  village  were 
welcomed. 

There  was  one  more  building  in  the  compound, 
called  the  orphanage,  where  waifs  were  gathered. 
Some  of  these  had  been  deserted  by  their  parent? — 
poor  little  girls,  who  found  no  welcome  in  a  commu- 
nity where  there  were  already  more  girls  than  boys. 
Some  of  the  children  had  lost  their  parents  by  that 
dreadful  scourge  of  India — the  cholera.  Having  no 
friends  to  care  for  them,  the  missionary  took  them 
in.  These  children  were  all  being  trained  to  become 
heralds  of  salvation.  Hinduism  built  asylums  for 
monkeys,  decrepit  elephants,  bullocks,  birds,  and 
even  reptiles,  but  Christianity  built  asylums  for  chil- 
dren. By  kindness,  counsel,  and  free  instruction  the 
missionary  gradually  won  the  regard  of  the  people, 
and  his  work  flourished.  Here,  in  the  midst  of 
Hinduism,  he  had  set  up  as  an  example  and  pattern 
for  the  people  a  typical  American  home. 

It  was  a  matter  of  curiosity  not  only  to  the  people 
of  that  village,  but  to  the  people  of  the  surrounding 
villages,  and  to  the  visitors  and  pilgrims  who  passed 
along  this  road  going  to  the  sacred  Ganges.  As  they 
looked  into  it  they  observed  the  liberty,  happiness, 
and  comfort  of  a  Christian  home.  To  this  comfort- 
able place  Paul  Stanhope  came,  and  rested  his  wearied 

body    beneath    the    shelter    of    the    wide    verandas, 
14 


210  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

occasionally  speaking  words  of  exhortation  or  counsel 
in  the  chapel  or  school-room. 

For  a  few  days  the  change  seemed  to  benefit  him. 
then  came  a  turn  for  the  worse,  and  with  sorrow 
his  friends  perceived  that  his  days  on  earth  would 
be  few. 

As  Stanhope  saw  the  anxiety  in  their  faces,  he 
easily  guessed  the  cause,  and  with  calm  patience  gave 
himself  up  to  the  will  of  God.  The  only  desire  he 
seemed  to  have  was  to  see  Jennie  Thompson  before 
lie  died.  He  had  no  sooner  expressed  this  desire 
than  Morgan  started  for  Agra  to  bring  her  to  him. 

Jennie  Thompson's  work  in  Agra  had  been  con- 
stantly increasing.  As  the  people  learned  to  know 
her  gentleness,  and  that  love  for  them  had  caused  her 
to  come  among  them,  they  watched  for  opportunities 
to  hear  her  sweet  voice,  or  to  feel  her  gentle  touch. 
They  had  been  accustomed  to  hear  their  pundits 
reading  their  sacred  books  in  drawling  tones,  but 
the  reading  of  the  Gospel  to  them  in  expressive 
tones,  slowly  enough  for  them  to  understand,  and 
illustrated  from  their  own  customs  to  make  it  plain, 
opened  their  hearts  so  that  the  more  of  it  they 
heard,  the  more  they  desired  to  hear.  But  her  work 
was  not  in  the  missionary  bungalow,  it  was  zenana 
work.  She  represented  the  work  of  the  women  of 
America  for  the  women  of  India.  She  did  not  wait 
for  the  people  to  come  to  her,  she  went  to  them  to 
bless  them,  to  carry  to  them  a  bright  and  cheering 


ZENANA  WORK  OPENED.  211 

light.  In  the  houses  of  the  wealthy  the  zenanas  were 
furnished  with  many  comforts.  They  were  airy  and 
light,  with  beautiful  and  fragrant  gardens  before  the 
verandas,  with  high  walls  surrounding  the  gardens. 
But  with  the  poor  there  were  no  such  comforts. 
Their  rooms  were  dark,  gloomy,  and  devoid  of  every- 
thing that  could  make  life  sweet  and  cheerful;  and  the 
most  of  the  people  were  poor.  Yet,  whether  in  the 
houses  of  the  rich  or  poor,  there  was  a  kind  of  seclu- 
sion insisted  upon  that  shut  these  women  in  from 
sympathy  or  participation  with  the  life  of  others. 
The  men,  the  little  children,  and  dissolute  characters 
had  the  freedom  of  the  street.  Such  was  the  peculiar 
nature  of  Hindu  social  life. 

The  wretchedness  of  the  women  in  poor  families 
awoke  the  most  tender  feelings  in  the  heart  of  the 
missionary.  She  saw  her  sisters  in  the  bondage  of 
social  and  religious  customs  which  were  blighting  their 
lives  and  rendering  them  incapable  of  exhibiting  those 
features  of  feminine  grace  and  usefulness  so  common 
in  her  own  land.  In  the  houses  of  the  wealthy  she  saw 
that,  with  all  the  advantages  of  wealth,  their  lives  were 
spent  in  idleness  and  gossip,  in  self-decoration  and 
frivolity,  while  the  nobler  parts  of  their  nature  were 
entirely  neglected.  To  such  she  desired  to  show  how 
useful  they  might  become,  and  by  helping  those  in 
suffering  they  might  obtain  the  most  enduring  rewards 
for  their  own  lives.  At  first  the  doors  of  these  houses 
were  closed  against  her.  The  people  had  nothing  in 


212  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

common  with  her.  She  was  a  foreigner,  representing 
a  strange  and  antagonistic  religion.  She  was  defiled 
by  her  habits,  by  the  food  she  ate,  the  company  she 
kept,  the  things  in  life  about  her  that  touched  her. 
She  made  companions  and  disciples  of  low  caste,  of 
pariahs,  ancl  of  people  below  caste.  Her  very  touch 
would  be  pollution. 

But  after  a  while  they  began  to  listen  to  the  ac- 
counts of  her  success  in  healing  diseases.  The  poor 
fever-stricken  woman  whom  she  healed  loudly  spoke 
her  praises.  The  woman  who  for  many  years  had 
been  unable  to  leave  her  bed,  and  through  her  treat- 
ment was  now  able  to  walk  as  freely  as  ever,  went 
from  house  to  house  telling  the  story  of  her  wonder- 
ful cure.  By-and-by  she  acquired  fame,  and  then 
the  Hindu  physicians,  soothsayers,  priests,  and  astrol- 
'ogers  began  to  upbraid  the  people  for  having  any 
thing  to  do  with  her,  for  they  saw  that  she  was  tak- 
ing from  them  their  influence  and  their  fees.  The 
turning-point  in  her  usefulness  came  as  a  result  of  a 
man's  strong  affection  for  his  wife. 

The  wife  of  a  prominent  high  caste  man  was  lying 
very  sick.  With  all  his  love  for  her  he  was  not  willing 
that  a  man,  even  though  a  physician,  should  enter  his 
zenana.  Hearing  of  the  success  of  the  strange  woman 
he  sent  for  her,  and,*  charmed  by  the  grace  of  her 
speech,  the  courtesy  of  her  deportment,  and  the 
beauty  of  her  countenance,  opened  the  hitherto 
closed  doors. 


ZENANA  WORK  OPENED.  213 

The  beautiful  wife  had  been  ailing  for  a  long  time, 
and  was  now  unable  to  leave  her  couch.  Her  hus- 
band lavished  upon  her  all  the  attentions  she  could 
desire.  He  spared  no  expense  to  benefit  her,  but  all 
in  vain.  When  Miss  Thompson  entered  the  zenana 
she  was  greeted  with  looks  expressive  of  great 
anxiety  from  the  invalid  and  her  attendants.  She 
breathed  a  prayer  to  God  for  his  blessing  arid  that 
he  would  grant  her  this  soul.  Then  she  carefully 
examined  the  invalid.  When  the  examination  was 
completed  the  name  of  a  peculiar  and  rare  remedy 
flashed  into  her  mind,  and  believing  it  to  be  from 
God  she  began  to  administer  it  to  the  invalid.  All 
that  day  she  remained  in  the  zenana,  and  the  next  day, 
and  the  day  following ;.  then,  seeing  the  patient  on 
the  road  to  recovery,  she  departed  amid  the  thanks 
and  rejoicings  of  all. 

From  this  she  was  called  into  other  z-enanas  until 
she  had  established  many  firm  friendships  among  the 
high  caste  ladies.  At  first  when  with  them  she  said 
nothing  about  her  religion  except  to  answer  their 
questions,  but  afterward  she  read  to  them  out  of  her 
Bible  the  sweet  stories  in  the  gospels  of  Jesus  going 
about  doing  good.  In  this  way  she  brought  the 
light  and  power  of  the  truth  to  bear  upon  many 
hearts,  until  they  too  rejoiced  in  Christ  as  their  Sav- 
iour. As  a  physician  her  heart  often  felt  sad  as  she 
saw  how  much  her  sex  suffered  from  the  ignorance 
and  wrong  treatment  of  the  Hindu  physicians. 


21  i  XEMORAMA.  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Many  suffered  for  years  who  might  have  enjoyed 
good  health  through  a  little  proper  treatment. 
"Wretchedness,  pain,  and  misery  became  their  punish- 
ment for  wrong  social  views,  and  she  determined  to 
see  what  her  influence  could  accomplish  in  teaching 
her  sex  the  rights  that  belonged  to  them  by  the  nature 
God  had  given  them.  She  taught  them  to  have  more 
light,  and  to  drive  darkness  and  gloom  out  of  their 
dwellings.  They  should  have  plenty  of  pure  air  and 
not  be  shut  in  stifling  rooms.  She  also  urged  them 
to  employment,  and  to  resist  the  temptation  to  be 
idle.  They  should  always  have  something  to  do. 
This  would  add  to  their  cheerfulness.  She  also 
urged  them  to  obtain  knowledge. 

This  was  a  decided  innovation  which  they  did  not 
dare  to  indorse.  This  was  the  privilege  of  the  men, 
not  of  the  women.  But  in  the  missionary  school  all 
who  accepted  Christ  were  taught  to  read.  It  was 
necessary  that  every  one  should  read  for  herself  the 
word  of  God.  Christianity  and  intelligence  went 
hand  in  hand.  Purity  of  heart  and  strength  of  mind 
were  sisters. 

Thus  her  work  moved  on.  As  she  read  Paul 
Stanhope's  letters  she  grew  sad.  "Was  he  indeed  so 
sick  a  man  ?  When  Morgan  came  for  her,  she  laid 
down  her  work  to  go  to  her  heart's  beloved,  and  as 
Morgan  watched  her  countenance  he  saw  that  her 
heart  was  battling  with  the  sorest  trial  of  her  life. 


THE  MISSIONARY'S  REST.  215 


CHAPTER  XXL 

THE  MISSIONARY'S  REST. 

WHEN  Morgan  and  his  companion  reached  the 
compound,  Stanhope  was  reclining  in  an  easy-chair 
on  the  veranda  watching  for  them. 

Miss  Thompson  was  hardly  prepared  for  the  de- 
cline of  vitality  which  she  saw,  and  it  required  all  her 
force  of  will  to  keep  back  the  tears.  Stanhope  re- 
ceived her  with  joy.  His  eyes  were  full  of  hungry 
yearning.  Smiles  covered  his  face,  but  as  they 
quickly  fled  away,  the  hollowness  of  his  cheeks  was 
the  more  plainly  revealed.  He  took  her  hand  within 
his  own,  and  feasted  his  eyes  upon  her  countenance, 
listening  with  calm  delight  to  the  melody  of  her  voice 
as  she  told  of  her  success  in  zenana  work  in  Agra. 
Then,  wearied  with  excess  of  joy,  he  went  to  sleep 
in  his  chair,  still  lovingly  clasping  her  hand. 

When  night  came  and  she  retired  to  her  room,  the 
flood-gates  of  her  grief  were  opened,  and  she  wept  with 
such  anguish  of  soul  as  she  had  never  known  before. 
She  was  oppressed  with  a  sense  of  her  loneliness.  For  a 
moment  a  wave  of  homesickness  rushed  across  her 
heart,  and  she  thought,  "  O  mother !  mother !  If  I 
could  only  weep  on  your  loving  bosom  in  this  hour 
of  my  sorrow  ! " 


210  NKMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

Then  she  thought  of  her  mission  and  of  his  mission. 
He  so  noble,  so  intellectual,  a  man  of  moral  grandeur, 
a  man  to  sway  thousands,  now  dying  at  the  threshold  of 
usefulness.  Was  this  God's  way  ?  As  she  thought  of 
heaven  she  became  calmer.  It  would  be  more  real  to 
her  when  he  should  enter  its  pearly  gates,  and  he 
would  be  nearer  to  her  than  ever  before.  All  night 
long  she  fought  the  battle  with  her  sorrow,  but  by  the 
morning's  light  she  rejoiced  in  having  gained  the  vic- 
tory, and  could  say,  "  My  soul  is  resting  in  peace." 

As  Morgan  saw  his  friend  growing  weaker,  an  in- 
tense desire  sprang  up  within  him  to  prolong  that 
life  if  possible.  India  was  favored  with  many  health 
resorts.  The  magnificent  mountains  bounding  the 
peninsula  on  the  north  were  intersected  by  many 
charming  little  valleys  at  the  head-waters  of  great 
rivers  stretching  clear  up  into  the  regions  of  eternal 
snow.  All  degrees  of  climate  could  be  found,  and 
sanitariums  adapted  to  all  kinds  of  invalids.  Perhaps 
some  spot  might  be  found  to  benefit  Stanhope  and 
rob  death  of  its  victim. 

Expense  was  no  consideration.  He  consulted  his 
friends,  studied  maps  of  the  country,  searched  the 
guide-books,  and  then,  having  decided  upon  the  place, 
astonished  Stanhope  and  Miss  Thompson  by  bidding 
them  prepare  for  an  immediate  journey  to  Nynee  Tal. 

Palanquins  were  soon  in  readiness,  and  Morgan, 
with  Stanhope  and  Miss  Thompson,  were  on  their 
way.  They  were  carried  to  Benares,  where  they 


THE  MISSION AEY'S  REST.  217 

entered  the  cars  and  rode  through  Lucknow  to  a  point 
on  the  railroad  nearest  their  destination.  There  jam- 
pans  were  provided,  and  the  march  up  the  mountain 
was  begun.  Jampans  were  arm-chairs  with  a  pole  on 
each  side,  and  carried  by  four  men.  The  path  up  the 
mountain  reminded  Morgan  very  much  of  traveling 
in  Switzerland.  The  narrow  road  wound  around  one 
peak  after  another  of  the  mountain,  sometimes  be- 
tween high  rocks  and  yawning  precipices,  sometimes 
in  places  where  it  seemed  almost  a  puff  of  wind  might 
cause  devastating  land-slides.  As  they  passed  along 
the  cold  increased,  and  the  shrubbery  on  the  mountain 
indicated  the  change  in  the  climate.  The  cool  air 
seemed  to  nerve  them  all,  and  the  invalid  almost  for- 
got his  weakness  in  beholding  the  grand  scenery 
stretching  out  below  their  path.  Before  the  journey 
was  ended  he  gave  way  to  fatigue,  and  as  the  coolies 
tenderly  bore  him  along  he  restf  ully  slept.  At  length 
they  reached  Nynee  Tal,  and  were  soon  placed  in 
comfort  in  a  large  sanitarium  provided  for  the  accom- 
modation of  guests. 

Nynee  Tal  is  in- a  narrow  valley  between  two  spurs 
of  the  Gaghur  range  of  mountains.  It  is  seven  thou- 
sand feet  above  the  plain,  and  is  just  in  front  of  a 
mountain  range  twenty-one  thousand  feet  higher,  and 
covered  with  perpetual  snow  and  glaciers. 

The  valley  is  half  land  and  half  water.  The  water, 
being  at  all  times  transparent  and  like  a  mirror,  re- 
flects the  surrounding  mountains.  It  is  one  oft  he 


218  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

most  charming  spots  in  India,  and  if  Paul  Stanhope's 
life  could  be  saved,  this  was  the  place  to  accomplish  it. 
It  had  been  used  as  a  sanitarium  so  many  years  that 
all  the  conveniences  for  an  invalid's  comfort  were  at 
hand,  and  Morgan  gave  explicit  instructions  that 
nothing  should  be  spared  that  might  assist  the  invalid 
in  his  search  for  health. 

There  were  many  English  residents  in  the  place 
and  health-seekers  from  all  over  India,  and  travelers 
from  all  parts  of  the  world  seeking  temporary  rest  in 
their  journeyings.  With  nothing  to  weary  him  and 
every  thing  to  interest  him,  Stanhope  gained  strength 
for  a  time,  but  Miss  Thompson  was  not  deceived  by 
these  appearances.  She  knew  that  soon  and  suddenly 
an  attack  would  come  which  would  probably  be  fatal, 
but  with  all  her  skill  and  affection  she  watched  his 
symptoms  and  guarded  him  from  every  aggravating 
cause.  As  she  watched  over  him,  read  to  him,  and  in 
a  thousand  little  ways  displayed  her  affection  for  him, 
she  manifested  a  sweetness  of  disposition  that  led  the 
people  to  speak  of  her  as  an  angel  ministrant. 

As  he  drew  nearer  the  end  of  life  she  experienced 
a  strong  desire  to  bear  his  name.  According  to  the 
custom  of  India  'she  would  be  his  widow  if  he  died, 
but  not  according  to  the  custom  of  her  home-land, 
and  she  wished  to  be  recognized  as  his  own  to  her 
own  people.  He,  too,  was  desirous  of  calling  her  his 
wife,  if  only  for  a  day.  He  could  not  dismiss  from 
his  mind  the  idea  of  many  in  India  that  she  would  be 


THE  MISSIONARY'S  REST.  219 

his,  if  true,  for  all  eternity.  The  ceremony  was  not 
delayed.  Invitations  were  sent  to  all  the  Americans 
who  were  visiting  the  place  and  to  all  the  guests  of 
the  sanitarium. 

They  gathered  in  the  large  dining-hall,  and  when 
they  hud  taken  their  places  the  Hindus  and  native 
Christians  and  servants  crowded  upon  the  verandas 
and  into  the  unreserved  parts  of  the  room,  all 
curious  to  witness  a  marriage  after  the  American 
fashion. 

Paul  Stanhope  sat  in  his  easy-chair,  weary  yet  rejoic- 
ing. By  his  side,  dressed  in  pure  white,  without  or- 
nament or  gaudy  color,  but  with  a  fresh  loveliness 
superior  to  the  charm  of  jewelry,  Jennie  stood 
tenderly  holding  his  hand.  Morgan  stood  on  the 
other  side  of  the  invalid's  chair,  watching  every  mo- 
tion he  made,  and  as  attentive  to  his  friend  as  he 
could  have  been  to  his  own  mother. 

The  peculiar  solemnity  of  the  occasion  touched 
every  heart,  and  there  was  much  quiet  weeping  by  the 
sympathetic  ladies,  the  compatriots  of  the  bride  and 
bridegroom.  One  of  the  visitors  was  an  American 
clergyman  making  a  tour  around  the  world;  a  way  of 
resting  from  the  duties  of  a  large  pastorate  sug- 
gested to  him  by  his  church,  which  also  provided  him 
the  means  to  do  it. 

It  was  now  his  privilege  to  pronounce  the  words 
binding  these  faithful  heroes  together.  The  clergy- 
man advanced  until  he  stood  before  them,  and  repeated 


220  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

in  low,  clear  tones  the  words  of  the  marriage  cere- 
mony as  it  is  spoken  in  America. 

The  couple  in  firm  voices  repeated  the  responses  ; 
the  minister  declared  them  united,  and  the  prayer  for 
the  abiding  blessing  of  God  upon  them  was  spoken. 
The  people  then  crowded  around  the  bridal  couple 
with  congratulations  and  good  wishes.  Both  of  them 
were  smiling  with  serene  appreciation  of  the  kindness 
shown  them.  A  soft,  subtle  happiness  filled  their 
souls.  To  both  it  seemed  to  be  a  foretaste  of  heaven. 
The  simplicity  of  the  ceremony  impressed  the  Hin- 
dus present  as  being  awfully  sacred.  They  felt  as  if 
they  were  in  the  presence  of  the  God  of  the 
missionaries. 

From  that  moment  Stanhope  was  thoroughly  con- 
tented. He  did  not  have  another  touch  of  homesick- 
ness. Yet  he  could  hardly  consent  to  have  his  bride 
out  of  his  sight  even  for  a  moment.  And  she  expe- 
rienced a  delight  in  serving  him,  in  gratifying  his 
every  whim,  in  anticipating  his  wants,  such  as,  when 
she  reflected  on  it,  gave  her  an  idea  of  the  nature  of 
the  love  the  Hindu  women  bore  their  husbands.  At 
this  moment  she  could  have  joyfully  performed  suttee 
to  prevent  her  being  separated  from  him.  He 
absorbed  her  every  thought.  She  wheeled  his  chair 
about  on  the  veranda  wherever  he  wanted  it — some- 
times where  they  could  gaze  on  the  white,  glistening, 
snowy  ranges  ;  then  in  front  of  the  lake,  watching  the 
happy  pleasure  parties  as  they  enjoyed  the  boating ; 


THE  MISSIONARY'S  REST.  221 

or  going  to  the  other  end  of  the  veranda  to  watch  the 
mountains  below  them  or  the  mists  rising  up  from 
the  jungles  and  the  plains.  She  read  to  him,  and 
when  he  became  weary  rested  his  head  on  her  bosom 
while  lie  slept.  Then  she  told  him  stories  as  she 
would  have  done  to  a  little  child,  and  he  enjoyed 
them  ;  their  simplicity  rested  him.  Thus  it  contin- 
ued until  one  morning,  as  lie  sat  in  his  chair  looking 
over  the  great  plain  so  far  below  them,  talking  of  his 
work  and  of  India  becoming  a  garden  for  the  Lord,  his 
words  sank  to  a  whisper,  and  he  ceased  to  speak.  His 
wife  knew  his  hour  had  come.  Morgan  was  standing 
by  her  side,  full  of  sympathy  and  devoted  to  their  inter- 
ests. Gently  the  two  sustained  the  form  of  the  mis- 
sionary as,  with  a  slight  gasp,  the  life  passed  away  and 
the  weary  worker  entered  into  rest.  In  that  hour  of 
trial  Jennie  learned  how  thoughtful,  tender,  and 
helpful  Morgan  could  be.  A  sister  could  not  have 
smoothed  her  pathway  more  gently,  and,  trusting 
him  thoroughly,  she  passed  through  the  waters  of 
affliction  in  the  solemn  communings  of  her  own 
soul. 

Every  one  about  her  manifested  the  greatest  ten- 
derness. Loving-kindness  greeted  her  at  every  step  ; 
caresses,  fond  words,  thoughtful  acts,  were  all  show- 
ered upon  her.  Every  American  and  English  heart 
was  zealous  to  brighten  her  way  and  dispel  her  sor- 
row. The  Hindus  had  never  before  seen  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  Americans  treated  widows,  and, 


222  XEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

curious  to  know,  watched  every  motion  that  was 
made. 

They  buried  the  dead  beneath  a  tree  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountain,  in  a  little  cemetery  there,  and  marked 
his  grave  with  a  small  marble  tablet.  The  Hindus 
noticed  that  the  widow  did  not  alter  her  attire  nor 
lessen  the  number  of  her  garments.  The  rings  her 
husband  gave  her  she  still  wore.  Her  hair  was  not 
cut  off,  but  dressed  as  she  had  been  accustomed  to 
dress  it.  She  was  not  put  to  hard  menial  labor,  nor 
slighted  by  the  happier  ones,  nor  addressed  with 
harsh  words  and  phrases,  but  the  most  considerate 
tenderness  was  lavished  upon  her,  and  every  lady 
called  her  darling,  while  the  gentlemen  could  not  be 
more  thoroughly  polite. 

For  a  few  days  she  continued  near  the  grave  of 
her  beloved  ;  then  the  desire  to  be  at  her  work  came 
upon  her,  and  she  prepared  to  return  and  take  it  up 
just  where  she  had  laid  it  down.  The  smiles  came 
back  to  her  pretty  face,  and  the  beauty  of  her  faith  was 
reflected  in  all  her  actions.  When  she  spoke  of  her 
beloved,  it  was  of  one  living  with  God  in  eternal 
blessedness,  whither  she  was  also  going. 

One  morning  Morgan  bade  her  farewell  for  a  short 
trip  among  the  mountains.  When  he  should  return 
they  would  proceed  to  Agra.  She  saw  him  disappear 
up  the  valley,  with  his  rifle  over  his  shoulder,  and  his 
guide  walking  on  before.  She  waited  for  his  return, 
but  at  the  time  appointed  he  did  not  come.  Days 


THE  MISSIONARY'S  REST.  223 

passed,  and  yet  he  came  not.  At  length,  with  fear 
that  some  accident  had  befallen  him  in  the  mountain- 
recesses,  she  sent  out  searchers,  hut  they  returned 
without  a  trace  of  his  movements.  Burdened  with 
this  sorrow,  one  of  doubt  and  foreboding,  she  sadly 
returned  to  Agra. 


22-i  KEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

PERILS  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

MORGAN  left  the  sanitarium  to  enjoy  a  ramble  for 
a  few  days  in  one  of  the  grandest  regions  on  the 
earth — a  region  where  nature  reveled  in  greatness, 
toward  which  the  millions  of  India's  teeming  popula- 
tion looked  for  evidences  of  the  greatness  of  their 
gods.  Lofty  mountain-peaks  seemed  to  be  brought 
close  together,  and  snowy  ranges  appeared  at  hand, 
yet  their  summits  were  so  far  away  that  days  of  trav- 
eling would  be  required  to  reach  them.  On  every 
hand  were  crags  and  precipices,  and  deep  chasms  and 
ravines  cutting  into  the  immense  ridges.  In  some 
places  the  fossil  remains  of  gigantic  creatures  of  a 
former  age  were  found  in  vast  beds ;  in  others, 
nature  displayed  her  richness  of  verdure  and  vegeta- 
tion unsurpassed  elsewhere  in  her  broad  dominions. 

The  vast  forests  and  jungles  were  full  of  wonders. 
Tigers,  leopards,  and  wild  elephants,  singly  and  in 
families,  roamed  through  the  forests,  enjoying  the 
freedom  of  the  wild  life  into  which  they  had  been 
born. 

Morgan  was  well  supplied  with  ammunition,  and, 
following  his  guide,  went  cheerfully  deeper  into  the 
dense  thickets  covering  the  mountain  sides.  lie  did 


PERILS  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  223 

not  apprehend  danger  from  man,  and  trusted  in  his 
skill  and  the  precision  of  his  rifle  to  defend  himself 
from  the  attack  of  wild  beasts.  He  was  entering  a 
region  where  thousands  of  pilgrims  came  to  worship 
the  sources  of  the  sacred  rivers  Ganges  and  Jumna, 
for,  in  the  deep  gorges  of  these  mountains,  the  head- 
waters of  the  streams  were  honored  as  the  most  sacred 
spots  on  the  earth.  The  jungle  paths  were  littered 
with  the  traces  of  pilgrims. 

Many,  while  searching  for  the  sacred  places,  lost 
their  way,  and  died  through  want  and  exposure ; 
many  defenseless  travelers  became  the  victims  of 
tigers,  or  wolves,  or  poisonous  serpents.  Some  suc- 
ceeded in  accomplishing  their  pilgrimage,  and  re- 
turned to  the  plains  below  to  tell  of  the  horrors  sur- 
rounding the  journey  to  the  sources  of  their  sacred 
streams. 

Morgan  penetrated  the  forests  deeper  and  deeper, 
enjoying  the  scenery  and  an  occasional  battle 
with  wild  beasts,  until  the  time  set  for  his  outward 
trip  was  exhausted,  then  he  signaled  his  guide  to 
lead  the  way  back  again.  When  no  answers  were 
given  his  signals,  and  the  hours  of  waiting  wore 
away,  the  thought  that  he  was  forsaken  came  to  the 
hunter's  mind.  His  guide  had  disappeared.  In  an 
unknown,  uninhabited  wilderness,  he  was  alone.  The 
sense  of  solitude  was  awful.  As  he  reflected,  he  re- 
membered that  the  guide  was  a  stranger  who  had 

come  to  Nynee  Tal  about  the  same  time  as  himself, 
15 


226  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHXKE. 

and  that  he  was  entirely  unknown  to  the  people  of 
that  place.  He  had  forced  himself  into  Morgan's 
presence,  and  appearing  to  take  a  fancy  to  him,  was 
always  on  hand  to  serve  him.  Morgan  now  recalled 
the  conversations  in  which  this  man  had  suggested  to 
him  the  pleasures  of  such  a  trip,  advising  him  to  take 
it,  presenting  as  inducements  the  prospect  of  seeing 
herds  of  wild  elephants  and  of  drinking  from  the 
head-waters  of  the  sacred  rivers  of  India,  where,  in 
thousands  of  cascades,  the  waters  leaped  from  the 
Himalayan  glaciers  to  form  the  Ganges  and  the 
Jumna. 

As  he  looked  about,  Morgan  realized  that  he  must 
do  something.  He  did  not  know  just  ho.w  to  go,  for, 
trusting  to  his  guide,  he  had  given  his  attention  to 
other  things  than  the  pathway  through  the  under- 
growth. With  earnest  purpose  he  tried  to  retrace 
his  steps,  hoping  to  get  to  some  spot  from  which  he 
could  see  some  of  the  mountain-peaks  known  to  him, 
and  by  them  direct  his  course.  At  length,  weary 
with  walking,  he  cast  himself  down  by  the  edge  of  a 
cliff  to  rest,  and  while  resting  feast  his  eyes  on  the 
beauties  of  the  immense  expanse  of  country  stretch- 
ing out  before  him. 

The  evening  was  rapidly  advancing,  and  the  atmos- 
phere was  of  such  rarity  that  he  could  see  a  great  dis- 
tance over  the  plains  of  India.  The  Ganges,  like 
a  silver  thread,  with  towns  along  its  banks  and  the 
plains  dotted  with  hundreds  of  villages,  was  spread 


PERILS  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  227 

out  before  him,  and  India  seemed  to  be  larger  and 
broader  than  he  had  ever  before  thought  of  its  being. 
His  thoughts  began  to  measure  the  territories  over 
which  he  had  traveled  and  the  seas  he  had  crossed, 
and  new  conceptions  of  the  greatness  of  the  earth 
rushed  upon  him.  He  thought  of  the  millions  of 
men  toiling  like  ants  to  obtain  food  from  the  earth. 
Then  lie  thought  of  individuals.  "  What  is  man,  that 
thou  art  mindful  of  him  ? "  his  mind  asked  with  new 
force.  Then  came  questions  of  destiny.  Why  was 
a  man  so  splendidly  endowed  for  usefulness  as  Paul 
Stanhope  cut  off  before  any  one  could  see  the  good 
he  had  done  ?  Why  was  Jennie  Thompson,  the 
loveliest  woman  he  had  ever  met — and  he  was  ac- 
customed to  the  society  of  lovely  women — burdened 
with  grief  and  disappointments  when  she  needed  all 
the  strength  and  help  which  a  strong,  wise,  faith- 
ful man  could  give  her  ?  "  God's  ways  are  past 
finding  out,"  he  said,  as  if  speaking  in  explanation 
to  another.  To  his  surprise,  a  hollow  laugh  from  the 
bushes  back  of  him  greeted  his  words.  Startled,  he 
leaped  to  his  feet,  and  with  rifle  in  readiness  looked 
about  him,  but  all  was  silent  as  before,  and  there 
was  not  a  sign  of  a  living  creature  near  him. 

Now,  for  the  first  time,  he  noticed  carefully  the 
spot  upon  which  he  was  standing.  It  was  only  a 
broad  place  in  the  narrow  path,  which  wound  around 
the  face  of  an  immense  crag.  Below  him  was  a 
precipice  hundreds  of  feet  in  depth;  behind  him  a 


NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

wall  of  rock  perpendicular  in  front  and  utterly  inac- 
cessible to  human  climber.  On  the  right  and  the  left 
the  path  narrowed  to  only  a  goat's  track  across  the  cliff. 

Impelled  -by  his  ardent  admiration  of  nature's 
sublimity,  he  had  come  to  this  spot,  and  had  forgot- 
ten his  danger  and  isolation  in  contemplating  the 
magnificent  scene  spread  before  him. 

Again  he  heard  the  mocking  laughter,  and  a  mo- 
ment after  beheld  a  man  advance  along  the  narrow 
path  toward  him.  It  was  the  fakir  who  had  threat- 
ened him  with  death.  For  a  few  moments  the 
strange  being  glared  at  him  with  a  sort  of»  fierce 
delight,  then,  extending  his  long  bony  finger  toward 
him,  said,  ''Stranger,  you  can  go  no  farther  on  that 
path  ;  it  ends  at  the  edge  of  the  cliff  just  beyond  the 
crag,  where  the  wild  goats  leap  down  to  another  path 
on  the  face  of  the  cliff  and  pursue  their  way.  A 
man  cannot  make  that  leap  ;  only  the  wild  goats  can 
do  it,  and  they  often  fail,  dashing  themselves  on  the 
rocks  far  below.  Stranger,  return,  arid  learn  the  fate 
in  store  for  those  who  hate  the  gods,  defile  temples, 
and  steal  the  daughters  of  India." 

Morgan  looked  around  him,  and  saw  that  the  fakir 
had  told  the  truth  about  the  path.  Placing  his  rifle 
on  his  arm  ready  for  instant  use,  he  followed  the 
fakir  into  the  forest,  and  there,  to  his  astonishment, 
beheld  a  group  of  fakirs  sitting  in  a  circle  and  grin- 
ning at  him  with  the  most  hideous  ferocity. 

The  beauty  of  a  tiger's  fur  and  the  grace  of  its 


PERILS  ix  THK  MOUNTAINS.  229 

motion  awaken  admiration — all  the  wild  animals  of 
the  forest  have  attractive  features — but  here  was  a 
company  of  men,  vile,  foul,  and  abnormal;  human 
hyenas,  having  lost  all  sense  of  cleanliness  and  tender- 
ness. A  shudder  passed  over  Morgan's  manly  form  as 
he  realized  that  he  was  in  their  power  and  utterly 
unable  to  save  himself.  For  a  moment  he  thought 
of  resistance  ;  he  could  at  least  kill  a  few  of  them, 
but  he  gave  up  the  thought,  for  he  knew  they  were 
quick  and  hardy,  and  should  he  injure  any  one  of 
them  he  would  but  insure  his  own  speedy  destruc- 
tion. By  temporizing  he  might  find  away  of  escape  ; 
at  least  this  was  the  only  hope  he  could  see.  Assum- 
ing a  careless,  curious  manner,  he  saluted  them,  and 
began  to  ask  them  questions  about  the  country  they 
were  in.  "  How  far  is  it  to  the  sources  of  the  Ganges  ? " 
"Do  many  make  pilgrimages  there?"  "Are  you  a 
company  of  holy  men  seeking  rest  by  the  sacred 
stream  ? "  and  similar  questions., 

But  they  only  grinned  at  him,  as  if  it  were  a  joke  ; 
and  in  their  grinning  he  read  the  expression  of  their 
merciless  nature.  Morgan  had  read  of  the  Thugs  of 
India,  a  sect  of  religious  fanatics  who  worshiped 
Kalee,  the  consort  of  Shiva.  Calcutta  was  named  for 
her — Kalee-Ghat,  or  Kalee's  Ghat,  the  place  of  Kalee's 
ablutions. 

These  fanatics  honored  her  by  shedding  blood. 
,The  Kalika  Purana  describes  her  appetite  for  blood 
and  carnage  as  follows  :  "  If  a  devotee  should  scorch 


230  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

some  member  of  his  body  by  applying  a  burning 
lamp,  the  act  would  be  very  acceptable  to  the  god- 
dess ;  if  he  should  draw  some  of  his  blood  and  pre- 
sent it,  it  would  be  still  more  delectable  ;  if  he  should 
cut  off  some  portion  of  his  own  flesh  and  present  it 
as  a  burnt-offering,  that  would  be  most  grateful  of 
all.  But  if  the  worshiper  should  present  her  a 
whole  burnt-offering  it  would  prove  acceptable  to 
her  in  proportion  to  the  supposed  importance  of  the 
animated  beings  thus  immolated:  that,  for  instance, 
by  the  blood  of  fishes  or  tortoises  the  goddess  is 
gratified  for  a  whole  month  after ;  a  crocodile's  blood 
will  please  her  three  months ;  that  of  certain  wild 
animal  nine  months  ;  a  guana's,  a  year  ;  an  antelope's, 
twelve  years;  a  rhinoceros's  or  tiger's  blood,  for  a 
hundred  years  ;  but  the  blood  of  a  lion  or  a  man 
will  delight  her  appetite  for  a  thousand  years !  while 
by  the  blood  of  three  men  slain  in  sacrifice  she  is 
pleased  a  hundred  thousand  years." 

The  English  goverment  had  suppressed  Thuggism, 
but  Morgan  thought  the  lingering  hopes  of  such  a 
faith  could  not  be  suppressed  by  force  of  arms. 
Perhaps  these  fakirs  were  believers  in  Kalee,  who 
watched  in  these  dense  forests  to  entrap  travelers,  and, 
without  fear  of  detection,  satiate  the  goddess  with 
their  blood. 

The  recollection  of  the  Thu^s  did  not  tend  to  com- 

o 

pose  his  nerves,  but  with  a  brave  face  and  manner  he 
returned  their  gaze,  showing  them,  probably  for  the 


PEKILS  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  231 

first  time,  a  man  alone  and  in  their  power,  yet 
not  afraid  of  them.  After  a  while  their  leader,  Mor- 
gan's enemy,  addressed  them  by  words  and  actions 
full  of  passion,  in  a  language  Morgan  did  not  under- 
stand, and  to  him  they  all  gave  close  attention.  As 
the  speaker  worked  himself  into  a  state  of  frenzy, 
his  hearers  were  similarly  affected,  and  they  cast  the 
most  ferocious  glances  upon  the  stranger,  who  stood 
so  calmly  awaiting  the  close  of  this  strange  scene. 

Suddenly  several  of  the  fakirs  leaped  from  their 
circle  and  sprang  upon  him,  securely  pinioning  his 
arms  behind  his  back.  Then,  surrounding  him,  they 
all  together  rushed  into  the  forest. 

As  the  darkness  was  falling  they  came  to  a  cave 
with  a  small  opening,  into  which  they  forced  him  to 
crawl,  all  following,  until  the  cave  was  filled  by 
them.  Then  a  stone  was  put  to  the  entrance  to  prevent 
wild  beasts  from  entering  during  the  night. 

It  was  a  terrible  night.  The  small,  half-closed  en- 
trance was  the  only  place  air  could  get  in,  and  be- 
tween Morgan  and  that  opening  lay  the  entire  crowd 
of  fakirs.  When  darkness  had  fairly  settled  upon 
the  forest  the  wild  beasts,  smelling  the  presence  of 
men,  prowled  about  the  opening,  crying,  growling, 
and  fighting,  putting  their  noses  to  the  hole,  and 
becoming  more  savage  because  of  their  being  unable 
to  get  at  the  men.  But  the  stench  of  the  filthy  fakirs 
and  the  foul  atmosphere  were  worse  than  the  noises 
of  the  animals.  In  the  open  air,  with  the  atmosphere 


232  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

constantly  in  motion,  the  offensiveness  of  the  dirty 
unwashed  men  conld  be  endured  if  not  too  close 
at  hand  ;  but  in  the  cave,  to  breathe  their  breath  and 
be  deprived  of  oxygen  reminded  Morgan  of  the  hor- 
rible black-hole  of  Calcutta.  He  forgot  the  danger 
menacing  his  life  throuo-h  some  overt  act  of  his  foes 

O  O 

in  the  suffering  from  the  foul  atmosphere,  and  he 
was  profoundly  thankful  when  the  light  of  day  came 
in  through  the  entrance  and  the  fakirs  crawled  out. 
Without  taking  any  food,  they  all  continued  their 
journeying  until  they  came  to  what  seemed  to  be  a 
park  in  the  forest. 

The  underbrush  was  cleared  away,  the  trees  were 
shaped  by  the  skill  of  a  gardener,  and  flowering 
bushes  and  fruit-trees  grew  in  profusion.  In  the 
midst  of  a  fine  grove  stood  a  castle,  ancient  in  form, 
and  built  so  solidly  as  to  defy  an  ordinary  siege.  It 
was  grim  and  threatening  in  appearance  to  the  man 
now  bein£  hurried  toward  it.  Back  of  it  were  a  num- 

O 

her  of  buildings  for  the  housing  of  the  servants  and 

O  O 

herds  of  the  lord  of  the  castle.  There  were  houses 
for  elephants,  cages  for  tigers  and  leopards,  kennels  for 
dogs,  and  aviaries  for  birds.  It  was,  in  fact,  the  ren- 
dezvous for  the  possessions  of  a  rajah  reserved  for  ex- 
traordinary occasions.  As  Morgan  passed  along  he 
saw  in  fenced  inclosures  elephants,  camels,  horses,  and 
bullocks  quietly  feeding,  and  the  thought  occurred  to 
him  that  he  had  seen  these  animals  in  the  great  pa- 
rade at  Aorra. 


PERILS  IN  THK  MOUXTAIXS.  233 

As  he  was  forced  toward  the  castle  he  noticed  the 
servants  gazing  upon  him  with  great  curiosity,  and 
also  numbers  of  fakirs  who  evidently  were  wards  of  the 
rajah.  Some  of  these  were  Hindus,  but  the  greater 
number  were  Mohammedans.  Just  as  they  hurried  him 
into  the  castle  he  threw  the  stone  given  him  by  Xem- 
orama's  fakir  friend  into  the  lap  of  a  Hindu  fakir  sit- 
ting by  the  door.  It  was  now  his  only  hope.  Before 
he  could  observe  how  the  fakir  received  it,  the  door 
closed  and  he  was  in  the  castle. 

His  fakir  captors  were  left  on  the  outside;  but  two 
servants  clothed  in  livery  beckoned  him  to  follow 
them.  They  led  him  along  the  broad  hall  until  they 
came  to  a  stair-way,  which  they  descended.  At  the 
foot  of  the  steps  his  conductors  lit  a  torch,  and, 
leading  him  down  another  stair-way  and  along  an- 
other hall,  came  to  a  door,  which  they  opened. 
Having  thrust  him  in,  they  closed  and  bolted  it 
against  him,  and  withdrew. 

The  darkness  at  first  was  appalling.  After  a  few 
moments  Morgan's  courage  revived,  and  he  examined 
the  cell  in  which  he  had  been  placed.  From  the  num- 
ber of  steps  he  had  descended  he  knew  that  it  was  con- 
siderably beneath  the  ground,  and,  from  the  hardness 
of  the  walls,  that  it  was  in  a  mass  of  rock.  From  the 
ceiling  there  came  a  slender  ray  of  light.  Looking 
toward  it,  he  saw  a  long,  narrow,  slanting  aperture 
extending  to  a  place  in  the  side  of  the  castle  wall 
r-ome  distance  above  the  ground.  This  was  the  only 


234:  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

avenue  for  light  and  fresh  air  to  come  into  the  cell. 
It  was  the  golden  ray  of  good  cheer.  Looking  at  the 
beam  of  light,  Morgan  said  to  himself  :  "  It  is  not  all 
darkness.  God.  reigns,  and  this  ray  of  light  teaches 
me  that  he  has  not  forgotten  me." 

Morgan  was  nearly  famished  for  lack  of  food,  but 
hour  after  hour  passed  before  his  solitude  was  broken. 
The  ray  of  light  had  faded,,  and  the  darkness  was 
dense  even  to  blackness,  when  the  door  opened  and  a 
servant  entered  with  food  and  drink  for  him.  Mor- 
gan consumed  the  food  greedily,  and  without  a  word 
the  servant  withdrew.  Many  hours  again  passed,  and 
lie  slept  the  deep  sleep  of  extreme  fatigue. 

When  he  awoke  he  was  refreshed.      The  lisrht  was 

o 

coming  through  the  aperture,  and  even  the  sounds  of 
shouting  and  revelry  from  the  outer  world  were 
plainly  heard.  After  a  while  the  door  of  the  cell  was 
again  opened,  and  the  servant  commanded  Morgan  to 
follow  him  into  the  presence  of  his  master.  Some- 
how the  fear  of  death  had  passed  from  his  mind,  and 
he  was  impelled  by  eager  curiosity  to  watch  for  each 
move  in  the  exciting  drama.  With  every  sense  alert, 
he  followed  his  guide  along  the  hall,  up  the  stair- 
way, through  the  corridor  leading  to  'the  door  of  the 
castle,  and  then  up  several  flights  of  steps  to  the  top 
of  the  tower  surmounting  the  castle.  Here  he  was 
ushered  into  a  room,  the  like  of  which  he  had  never 
before  seen.  It  was  a  summer-room,  the  roof  being 
supported  by  strong  pillars,  and  curtains  extending 


PERILS  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  235 

from  pillar  to  pillar  to  regulate  the  light  and  the  cur- 
rents of  air. 

The  scenery  from  the  curtained  ways  was  the  grand- 
est Morgan  had  seen.  On  the  one  side  were  the 
Himalayan  peaks  of  everlasting  snow  and  great  for- 
ests, while  on  the  other  side  the  view  embraced  hun- 
dreds of  square  miles  of  the  fertile  plains.  It  was  a 
magnificent  watch-tower,  and  an  enemy  could  not  ap- 
proach it  from  any  direction  without  being  discovered 
in  the  far  distance.  In  a  hasty  glance  Morgan  saw 
the  course  of  the  great  highway  of  India,  and  his 
heart  throbbed  with  hope  as  in  the  distance  he  beheld 
a  train  of  cars  moving  on  the  !N^orth-western  Railway 
of  India  in  the  plains  below. 

The  room  was  fitted  to  suit  the  taste  of  a  hunter. 
The  floor  was  nearly  covered  with  rugs  made  of  tiger- 
skins,  while  the  pillars  were  decorated  with  orna- 
ments made  of  elephants'  tusks,  tigers'  teeth  and  claws, 
and  serpents'  scales,  all  made  brilliant  with  settings  of 
precious  stones.  Upon  an  immense  tiger-mat  in  the 
center  of  the  room  sat  the  rajah,  the  master  of  the 
castle,  and  Morgan  at  once  recognized  him  as  the 
chieftain  whom  he  had  seen  at  Agra. 

The  face  of  the  rajah  showed  lust  and  brutality  in 
every  line,  and  Morgan  shuddered  as  he  -thought  of  a 
maiden  like  Nemorarna  becoming  the  slave  of  such  a 
being.  All  that  art  and  wealth  could  do  to  make  the 
rajah  attractive  had  been  done,  and  in  the  eyes  of  his 
servants  he  shone  with  unequaled  magnificence.  To 


236  jSTEMORAMA    THE    Is  AUTCIINEE. 

them  lie  was  prince  and  -lord.  He  wore  a  vest  made  of 
gold  cloth,  a  coat  of  yellow  satin,  with  a  border  of 
gold  embroidery.  A  handsome  cashmere  shawl  was 
loosely  folded  about  his  waist,  and  a  puffy  light  tur- 
ban was  on  his  head.  His  trousers  and  stockings 
were  of  richest  material,  and  from  his  turban  to 
his  shoes  he  was  decorated  with  brilliant  jewels.  A 
fillet  of  diamonds  and  rubies  ornamented  his  head, 
and  a  band  of  diamonds  and  rubies  his  ffirdle. 

O 

All  was  beautiful  except  the  man,  and  the  costly 
gems  of  nature  could  not  hide  nor  render  attractive 
the  base  human  soul  which  was  revealed  in  his  dull 
countenance. 

When  Morgan  entered  his  presence  he  continued 
sitting  on  the  mat,  not  deigning  to  notice  his  presence. 
After  a  short  time  lie  rang  a  little  silver  bell,  and  a  serv- 
ant hastened  to  him  with  a  tray,  upon  which  were 
glasses  filled  with  refreshing  drinks.  Taking  one  of 
these,  he  slowly  sipped  it,  and,  turning  his  gaze  toward 
the  prisoner,  coolly  surveyed  him  from  head  to  foot. 
As  he  did  so  there  was  profound  silence  in  the  room, 
the  servants  carefully  watching  every  motion  of  their 
master,  to  anticipate  his  will  before  he  should  utter  it 
in  words. 

As  Morgan  returned  the  rajah's  gaze  he  was  con- 
vinced that  no  appeal  for  mercy  could  reach  that  im- 
bruted  nature,  arid,  with  the  grit  of  a  thoroughly 
brave  man,  determined  not  to  flinch,  nor  by  word  or 
act  to  crave  a  favor.  Through  an  interpreter  the 


PERILS  IN  TIIK  MOUNTAINS.  237 

rajah  demanded  "  By  what  right  have  you,  a 
stranger,  stolen  from  her  owners  the  beautiful 
maiden  destined  to  shine  as  the  light  of  the  harem 
of  the  lord  of  the  Himalayan  forests?" 

But  Morgan  kept  silent. 

The  rajah  motioned  with  his  hand,  and  the  fakir 
came  forward,  holding  in  his  fingers  the  two  bullets, 
which  he  had  carefully  preserved.  Then  he  informed 
the  rajah  how  lie  had  obtained  them,  and  the  threat 
he  had  uttered  to  the  prisoner  as  to  the  final  use  to  be 
made  of  them.  He  told  the  story  of  Morgan's  deal- 
ings with  Nemorama,  of  his  finding  Kismut,  and 
of  his  accomplices  in  his  underhand  work,  ending 
with  an  account  of  the  failure  of  the  brigands  work- 
ing in  the  rajah's  service  to  wrest  Nemorama  from 
the  protection  of  the  valorous  Dennis. 

Morgan  was  amazed  at  the  accuracy  of  the  fakir's 
information,  but  was  delighted  to  hear  of  the  success 
attending  Dennis,  for  this  encounter  had  happened 
since  his  last  tidings  from  the  faithful  Irishman. 

Finding  that  the  prisoner  would  not  answer  a  word, 
the  rajah's  face  flushed  with  anger,  and,  holding  the 
bullets  before  him,  he  said  :  "  You  will  now  be  taken 
back  to  your  cell,  and  to-morrow,  at  the  hour  of  noon, 
will  be  led  forth,  and  in  front  of  the  castle  gate  will  be 
put  to  death  in  the  manner  the  fakir  has  sworn.  One 
ball  will  be  shot  into  your  head,  because  it  planned  so 
wicked  a  plot  against  the  happiness  of  my  harem, 
keeping  it  in  darkness  for  the  lack  of  the  light  of  the 


238  NEMORAMA   THE   NAUTCHNEK. 

beautiful  one.  The  other  ball  will  be  shot  into  jour 
heart,  because  it  sought  to  steal  the  love  and  devotion 
that  belongs  only  to  me.  Go  !  " 

As  he  uttered  this  word  the  servants  took  hold  of 
the  prisoner  and  hurried  him  down  the  stair-ways. 
Shutting  him  in  his  cell,  they  left  him  to  meditate  in 
solitude  and  darkness  the  fate  before  him. 

"With  a  feeling  of  despair  Morgan  cast  himself  on 
the  floor  of  the  cell.  He  was  alone — no  one  to  appeal 
to,  no  friend  to  help.  As  he  watched  the  slender  ray 
of  light  coming  through  the  aperture  he  saw  it  grow- 
ing dimmer  and  dimmer,  until  it  entirely  faded  out. 
Now  that  death  seemed  so  near,  his  longing  to  live 
became  the  greater,  and  he  thought  of  many  plans  to 
escape,  but  every  one  of  them  ended  in  hopelessness. 
His  reveries  were  interrupted  by  the  door  of  his  cell 
being  unbolted.  As  it  opened  he  saw  a  man  shrouded 
from  head  to  foot  in  a  fakir's  shroud  enter,  carrying 
in  his  hand  a  little  lamp.  He  shut  the  door  after 
him,  the  servant  accompanying  him  remaining  on  the 
outside. 

The  man  then  removed  the  shroud,  and,  to  his 
amazement,  Morgan  beheld  his  friend,  the  Hindu 
fakir.  The  fakir,  in  low  tones,  bade  him  wrap  him- 
self in  the  shroud,  in  silence  follow  the  servant  out 
of  the  castle,  turn  to  the  right  and  walk  into  the  for- 
est, and  do  as  he  should  there  be  instructed. 

With  deepest  emotions  of  gratitude  Morgan  obeyed, 
and,  knocking  on  the  door,  passed  out  as  it  was  opened 


PERILS  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.  239 

by  the  servant.  The  servant  stopped  only  long 
enough  to  bolt  the  door  of  the  cell  securely,  and  then 
led  the  way  to  the  castle  door. 

As  Morgan  stepped  into  the  open  air  he  gave 
thanks  to  God  for  his  abundant  mercies.  The  stars 
were  shining  brilliantly,  and  deep  shadows  were  rest- 
ing on  the  gardens  and  forests.  The  servants  seemed 
to  be  all  asleep,  and  without  hinderance  he  entered 
the  forest  before  him. 

Almost  at  the  edge  of  the  wood  he  met  a  fakir, 
who  directed  him  to  follow.  For  many  minutes  they 
swiftly  walked  along  the  beaten  path,  and  when  the 
fakir  stopped  they  stood  by  a  broad  road.  The  fakir 
then  led  a  saddled  horse  out  from  the  shelter  of  the 
trees,  bade  him  mount  the  horse  and  ride  with  speed 
toward  the  south,  and  if  he  did  not  tarry  he  could 
reach  the  railroad  in  time  'to  take  the  midnight  train 
to  the  south.  Morgan  did  as  he  was  commanded. 
The  horse  was  fleet  of  foot  and  strong  in  limb,  and 
he  galloped  at  a  furious  gait.  For  a  full  hour  Mor- 
gan sped  on,  reached  the  railroad,  and  turned  the 
horse  loose  just  as  the  train  came  rolling  rapidly 
along.  In  a  few  moments  he  was  seated  in  the  cars 
on  his  way  to  Bombay,  and  as  he  looked  toward  the 
lofty  castle  he  wondered  what  would  be  the  next 
scene  in  the  drama  of  which  he  was  so  unwillingly  an 
actor. 

The  Hindu  fakir  sat  on  the  floor  of  the  cell  in  si- 
lence. Pic  did  not  care  much  if  death  did  meet  him, 


240  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

but  lie  knew  the  rajah  would  not  dare  to  put  a  fakir 
to  death,  however  great  the  provocation.  His  super- 
stition would  prevent  him,  as  well  as  the  fear  of  the 
consequences  that  might  follow.  As  he  sat  in  silence 
he  heard  the  approach  of  footsteps  ;  in  a  moment  the 
cell  door  opened,  and  the  door  closed  as  another  fakir 
entered.  The  visitor  was  startled  to  see  the  Hindu. 
It  was  the  Mohammedan  fakir,  who  had  come  to  taunt 
Morgan.  For  a  moment  the  two  fakirs  glared  at 
each  other,  the  little  flickering  lamp  casting  its  feeble 
light  upon  them.  The  Hindu  uttered  the  words, 
"  At  last ! "  and  the  next  moment  they  sprang  at 
each  other. 

The  ferocity  of  the  fakirs  was  equal  to  that  of  wild 
beasts.  They  were  utterly  merciless,  and,  unless  sep- 
arated, a  contest  meant  death  to  one  or  to  both.  Now 
they  were  alone.  In  the  closeness  of  the  cell  the 
sound  of  their  battling  was  repressed.  The  servants 
of  the  castle  were  sleeping,  dreaming,  perhaps,  of  the 
interesting  execution  on  the  morrow.  Not  long  after- 
ward the  Hindu  opened  the  door,  and,  with  the  lamp 
in  his  hand,  passed  out  of  the  castle. 

The  following  morning,'  when  all  was  arranged  for 
the  execution,  the  rajah  sent  to  the  cell  for  his  pris- 
oner. The  servants  with  torches  hastened,  and,  enter- 
ing the  cell,  saw  the  Mohammedan,  dead.  Filled  with 
fear,  they  returned  to  their  master',  and  when  the  body 
was  brought  forth  a  superstitious  awe  swept  over 
them  all.  No  one  could  give  a  word  of  explanation. 


PERILS  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 

It  was  one  of  the  mysteries  of  the  dealings  of  the  gods. 
The  rajah,  frightened  by  it,  immediately  ordered  the 
howdah  to  be  placed  on  his  elephant  for  him  to  go  to 
Agra  to  consult  the  wise  hakims  as  to  the  significance 

of  this  event. 
16 


242  NEMOHAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 


CHAPTEK  XXIII. 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  INDIA. 

was  very  anxicms  to  report  himself  to  Cap- 
tain Grey.  It  is  true  he  had  sent  many  letters  de- 
scribing the  events  he  passed  through,  but  he  had  not 
heard  from  the  captain,  and  as  his  route  must  be  taken 
according  to  circumstances,  he  could  not -tell  where  he 
would  be  a  week  in  advance. 

He  began  to  feel  badly,  too,  from  the  injuries  he 
had  received  in  the  battle  on  the  highway.  At  the 
time  his  courage  and  the  necessity  of  protecting  the 
ladies  in  his  charge  had  enabled  him  to  disguise  his 
real  condition.  But,  riding  along  quietly  in  the  palan- 
quin, he  had  an  opportunity  of  considering  his  own 
feelings,  and  he  concluded  that  he  was  going  to  be 
sick.  They  were  now  traveling  through  Malway,  a 
country  in  which  the  land  gradually  rose  toward  the 
Vindhya  Mountains.  It  was  a  country  almost  devas- 
tated by  the  brigand  hordes  of  petty  chieftains  pre- 
vious to  the  English  supremacy,  but  since  then  the 
enforced  peace  and  security  obtained  for  all  had 
wonderfully  developed  its  resources.  As  they  passed 
through  it  Nemorama  interested  her  companions  by 
reciting  to  them  the  exploits  of  Vicramaditya,  one 
of  the  early  Hindu  kings,  of  whom  the  most  stirring, 


IN  THE  HEART  OF  INDIA.  243 

fabulous  accounts  were  given.  It  was  a  part  of  India 
in  which  the  Mohammedans  failed  to  make  much 
headway,  and  when  the  Mahrattas  entered  it  in 
the  defense  of  the  real  Hindu  faith  they  were  re- 
ceived with  open  arms. 

At  length  the  travelers  reached  Oojein,  a  city  on 
the  north  side  of  the  mountains,  and  on  a  branch  of 
the  Chumbul  River.  It  is  historically  a  place  of  great 
importance,  holding  high  rank  as  one  of  the  sacred 
cities  of  the  Puranas,  and  Hindu  geographers  had 
fixed  upon  it  as  their  iirst  meridian.  In  ancient  times 
it  was  a  great  interior  capitol,  until  a  change  in  the 
course  of  the  river  nearly  ruined  it.  The  Moham- 
medans have  built  several  very  handsome  mosques,  and 
the  great  caravans  passing  through  make  it  one  of  their 
principal  stations.  It  was  in  this  territory  that  Allah 
Baiee  for  twenty  years  proved  to  be  the  greatest 
ruler  the  country  had  ever  had,  and  showed  to  all  In- 
dia that  a  woman  knew  how  to  rule. 

As  they  reached  this  city,  Nemorama  saw  that  it 
was  impossible  for  the  sick  man  to  travel  further, 
and  finding  a  house  in  a  pleasant  garden  for  rent,  she 
had  Dennis  conveyed  thither,  and  with  the  assistance 
of  Kisinnt  tried  to  nurse  him  back  to  health  again. 

Multitudes  of  people  were  constantly  passing  the 
little  whitewashed  mud  cottage  in  which  the  trav- 

o 

elers  had  found  refuge — Mohammedans  on  the  way 
to  their  decorated  mosques,  Hindus  going  to  their 
jewel-crowned  pagodas,  merchants  with  the  products 


244  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

of  all  India  brought  to  them  by  great  caravans,  ele- 
phants used  for  labor,  camels  from  long  journeys, 
white  bullocks  drawing  little  carriages,  and  crowds  of 
people.  It  was  thoroughly  a  Hindu  city,  and  the 
whole  tone  of  life  was  according  to  the  rules  laid 
down  by  the  white-robed  Brahmans. 

The  fear  of  pursuit  had  departed.  The  travelers 
knew  that  the  natural  jealousies  between  the  various 
rajahs  would  be  a  defense  to  them  from  the  schemes 
of  the  northern  powers,  anql  they  were  no  longer 
afraid.  Nevertheless,  they  continued  in  disguise. 
Having  given  up  the  Hindu  religion  for  that  of  Christ, 
they  cast  aside  the  marks  of  caste  and  cl^an,  and  recog- 
nized all  people  as  their  equals.  Nemorama  was  no 
longer  a  nautchnee,  but  a  Hindu  maiden ;  Kismut 
was  no  longer  a  widow,  but  a  Hindu  woman  ;  and  in 
the  ordinary  dress  of  the  better  class  of  Hindus,  they 
modestly  went  forward  doing  the  duties  before 
them.  Dennis  now  observed,  as  never  before,  the 
distinguishing  trait  of  the  Hindu  woman's  character. 
They  were  said  to  excel  as  nurses,  and,  in  fact,  in 
any  position  where  devotion  and  gentleness  were 
required. 

Nemorama  assumed  the  general  charge  of  affairs. 
She  visited  the  markets  and  attended  to  all  the  out- 
side duties,  while  Kismut  did  the  nursing  and  the 
cooking.  Their  tread  was  so  light  as  they  passed 
through  the  room  that  they  seemed  almost  as  visions 
floating  before  the  sick  man,  and  lying  on  his  cot,  he 


IN  THE  HEART  OF  INDIA.  245 

watched  them  and  wove  fancies  about  them,  in  which 
the  most  delightful  surprises  were  constantly  ap- 
pearing. 

Nemorama  knew  a  little  of  bruises,  for  in  the 
nautchnee  home  accidents  were  frequent,  and  with 
her  skillful  touch  she  dressed  the  sufferer's  wounded 
head  and  prevented  inflammation  from  setting  in. 
Kismut  was  constantly  near  him.  She  stood  motion- 
less as  a  statue  when  no  service  was  required,  then, 
when  needed,  she  moved  noiselessly  and  quickly. 
She  did  not  allow  an  insect  to  rest  upon  him  for 
an  instant,  and  insects  were  thickly  swarming  all 
about  them.  Not  a  fly  nor  a  mosquito  could  reach 
him.  When  he  slept  Kismut  used  her  fan  so  con- 
stantly that  a  gentle  breeze  seemed  to  be  fanning  his 
cheeks,  and  although  the  heat  was  intense  through- 
out the  city  and  he  was  painfully  susceptible  to  it, 
yet  she  drove  away  its  exhausting  attacks  and  gave 
him  a  constant  current  of  air.  As  a  cook  she  had  been 
well  trained,  and  her  dishes  of  curry  could  not  be 
surpassed.  The  arrangement  of  the  food  was  so  neat 
and  pretty  that  it  encouraged  his  appetite,  and  he  ate 
freely,  while  she  stood  smiling  upon  him  and  keeping 
away  the  flies. 

Dennis  realized,  as  he  became  stronger,  that  only 
careful  nursing  had  brought  him  through,  and  with 
all  his  heart  he  loved  the  gentle  woman  who  had 
saved  his  life.  • 

O  how  sweet  and  attractive  she  appeared  to  him,  as 


24:6  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

hour  after  hour  he  fondly  gazed  upon  her !  He  knew 
something  of  married  life  in  his  own  country,  and 
he  had  seen  brawling,  noisy,  contentious  couples, 
where  the  household  was  in  perpetual  strife  and  dis- 
cord. So  ho  had  preferred  living  a  life  of  single 
blessedness  and  remaining  the  confidential  servant  of 
Captain  Grey.  But  now  a  vision  of  another  kind  of 
life  floated  before  his  mind.  He  saw  a  woman  full 
of  the  spirit  of  love  consecrating  all  her  powers  of 
heart,  mind,  and  body  to  the  preservation  of  peace 
and  rest  within  her  house,  and  finding  her  greatest 
delight  in  the  happiness  of  her  household.  As  he 
watched  Kismut  he  saw  that  to  her  it  was  not  work 
nor  bondage,  but  her  pleasure,  her  ardent  delight,  and 
he  could  not  possibly  help  yielding  her  his  admi- 
ration and  affection. 

"When  Captain  Grey  again  heard  from  his  faithful 
servitor  Dennis  was  rapidly  recovering,  and  as  soon 
as  he  was  able  the  party  resumed  their  journey  toward 
Bombay.  The  captain,  anxious  to  help  DeiKiis,  came 
with  all  the  speed  camels  could  make  to  meet  him  in 
Oojein,  and  arrived  the  day  after  the  travelers  had 
left.  However,  he  soon  overtook  them,  to  the  in- 
tense delight  of  Dennis  and  the  satisfaction  of  his 
companions. 

The  women  were  modestly  veiled,  and  the  captain 
could  see  only  the  lower  portion  of  their  faces  ;  but  he 
greeted  them  with  a  friendliness  that  showed  his  sym- 
pathy with  the  mission  Dennis  was  executing.  A,-; 


IN  THE  HEART  OF  INDIA.  247 

they  traveled  together  Dennis  opened  his  heart  to  the 
captain.  He  said:  "An'  it  was  just  this  way.  I 
niver  thought  of  a  haythen  woman  other  than  one  in 
perpetual  darkness,  that  didn't  know  any  thing  but  to 
spend  all  her  time  before  idols  and  all  her  thoughts 
in  the  worship  of  thini  dirty  fakirs.  Whin  I  see'd 
their  mud  cottages  I  thought  they  couldn't  be  pos- 
sessed wid  refinement  or  sinse,  and  I  was  greatly  prej- 
udiced against  thini.  Whin  Mr.  Morgan  axed  me 
to  help  him  out  of  a  scrape,  sure  an'  I  was  ready  to 
sarve  a  man  so  brave  as  he  was,  an'  I  had  no  sus- 
picion that  within  my  own  bosom  my  heart  was  sen- 
sitive. But,  captain,  truly  now,  ye  may  laugh  at  me 
if  ye  will,  but  I  niver  in  all  me  born  days  saw  so 
much  swateness  in  a  human  crayture  as  that  Kismut 
possesses.  Such  arnestness,  such  devotion,  an'  all 
the  time  so  smilin'  like;  an'  no  matter  how  pervarse 
I  would  be,  she  niver  by  word  or  token  gave  ividence 
of  beiii'  disturbed  ;  an'  it  is  just  such  a  swate,  illigant 
crayture. that  my  heart  goes  out  after;  an'  I  am  sure 
that  with  her  a-lovin'  me  as  long  as  I  live,  I  shall  be 
the  happiest  of  men." 

The  captain  did  not  laugh  at  his  man,  but  rode  on 
in  silence  for  some  time.  Dennis  watched  him,  and 
saw  an  expression  of  unutterable  sadness  cross  his 
face,  and  even  tears  rolling  down  his  cheeks.  Not 

'  O 

knowing  what  to  think  of  it,  he  remained  silent. 

After  a  while  the  captain  came  to  his  side  again 
and  said :  "  Dennis,  my  boy,  I  think  Kismut  must  be 


248  NEMORAMA  THE  NATJTCHNEE. 

very  beautiful,  and  all  that  yon  say  of  her  I  believe 
to  be  true  ;  take  her  and  be  happy  with  her.  I  was 
just  thinking  of  my  own  Hindu  wife,  and  my  heart 
was  filled  with  lonesomeness  because  I  must  live 
without  her. 

"  Dennis,  I  have  seen,  a  great  many  women.  I 
have  known  them  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  world.  I 
have  seen  them  at  home  and  abroad  ;  I  have  watched 
all  kinds  of  social  customs,  and  I  must  say  that  I 
know  of  no  women  anywhere  who  are  the  equals, 
as  a  class,  to  the  high-caste  Hindu  women  in  the 
purely  household  virtues.  They  are  not  educated ; 
they  are  very  devout ;  they  are  great  sufferers  when 
affliction  comes  upon  them  ;  they  are  slighted  and  too 
often  despised  by  men ;  they  are  really  a  down- 
trodden sex.  Yet,  for  all  that,  in  purity  of  life,  in 
affection  for  their  husbands,  in  zeal  for  the  virtues 
of  their  homes,  in  care  for  their  children,  they  are 
superior  to  nearly  all  other  women. 

"Now,  a  man  marries  generally  for  love  in  our 
country,  hence  no  wife  can  be  more  gratifying  than 
a  noble  Hindu  woman.  A  Hindu  marries  to  become 
the  father  of  sons ;  if  he  does  not  become  such,  his 
happiness  is  wrecked,  and  his  life  for  time  and  for 
eternity  is  a  failure.  What  a  pity  it  is  that  the  Hindus 
do  not  marry  for  love,  when  their  women  are  so  lov- 
ing and  faithful ! " 

"An'  how  do  yez  account  for  their  loving  spent?" 
asked  Dennis. 


IN  THE  HEART  OF  INDIA.  249 

Captain  Grey  replied  :  "  I  partly  account  for  it  on 
the  theory  of  their  training.  They  have  been  taught 
that  their  -only  hope  of  heavenly  enjoyment  is  in 
devotion  to  their  husbands.  They  have  also  been 
taught  that  it  is  a  great  disgrace  for  a  girl  to  be  with- 
out a  husband.  And  the  rule  is  to  spend  their  time 
from  nine  years  of  age  until  they  -are  fourteen  or  six- 
teen in  learning  from  the  mother-in-law  how  to  serve 
their  husbands,  and  they  are  generally  married  to 
men  twice  or  three  times  their  own  age.  And  youth 
is  taught  to  reverence  age.  All  these  features  of 
their  training  have  developed  them  in  the  domestic 
line,  and  their  affection  for  their  husbands  partakes 
of  the  nature  of  worship." 

"I  understand,"  said  Dennis.  "An'  I  think  the 
Hindus  are  not  sech.  haythen,  after  all,  but  rather 
scriptural,  for  they  follow  -the  words  of  Paul  whin 
he  spakes  to  thim,  'Husbands,  love  your  wives; 
wives,  obey  your  husbands.'  An'  I  think  to  follow 
that  rule  would  bring  peace  to  many  hurt  souls." 

"Yes,"  replied  the  captain;  "and  if  they  were  to 
follow  that  precept  in  our  home  land  it  would  grad- 
ually lead  women  to  refuse  to  marry  men  whom 
they  could  not  respect  and  obey  and  trust. 

Thus  the  men  conversed  as  they  rode  along  follow- 
ing the  palanquins  in  which  the  ladies  were  riding. 
At  length  they  arrived  in  Bombay,  and  while  the 
captain  returned  to  his  mountain  home,  Dennis 
sought  a  house  where  the  ladies  could  dwell  until 


250  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

they  should  receive  news  of  Morgan.  The  varied 
busy  life  of  the  great  city,  with  its  different  national- 
ities, was  a  constant  wonder  to  the  gentle  Kisrant. 
To  Nemorama  it  was  home;  but  while  home  she 
kept  her  face  hidden  whenever  she  went  out  of  the 
house,  for  if  discovered  by  her  former  friends  she 
might  be  remanded  into  a  captivity  which  would  now 
be  worse  than  death. 

They  were  there  only  a  few  days  when  Dennis 
came  to  them  with  his  face  sparkling  with  excessive 
happiness.  Making  a  profound  bow  to  them,  he  said  : 
"  Ladies,  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  inform  yez 
that  I  have  just  had  the  honor  of  beholding  the 
countenance  of  my  esteemed  friend  Mister  Morgan, 
an'  he  told  me  to  inform  yez  that  he  would  be  here 
in  half  an  hour." 

With  utterances  of  delight  they  pushed  Dennis  out 
of  the  way  and  rushed  to  their  rooms  to  prepare  to 
receive  in  a  proper  manner  their  beloved  benefactor. 


DASEE.  251 


CHAPTER  XXIY. 

DASEE. 

Morgan  reached  Bombay,  he  hastened  to 
"Watson's  Hotel  to  receive  his  letters  from  home  and 
recruit  his  wearied  body  by  rest,  with  all  the  con- 
veniences of  European  skill  about  him.  Then  he 
sought  his  former  friends  to  apprise  them  of  his  re- 
turn and  to  form  his  plans  for  the  coming  season. 

There  was  one  place  where  he  was  particularly  de- 
sirous of  paying  his  respects,  for  in  no  other  dwelling  of 
the  Hindus  had  he  received  so  great  kindness  and  po- 
lite attention.  The  house  was  on  Malabar  Hill,  only 
a  short  distance  below  the  Parsee  Tower  of  Silence. 
Its  grounds  bordered  on  the  broad  public  driveway 
— the  principal  resort  of  the  wealthy  people  of  Bom- 
bay when  riding  in  their  carriages.  It  was  a  place  con- 
stantly fanned  by  the  gentle  breezes  from  the  sea, 
and  its  richness  of  vines,  trees,  and  shrubbery,  with 
hundreds  of  musical  birds  singing  about  flowing  fount- 
ains, made  it  a  spot  in  which  the  highest  charms  of 
life  could  be  enjoyed. 

The  refinement  marking  the  outside  of  the  house 
was  excelled  by  the  beauty,  grace,  and  splendor  of  the 
life  inside.  Baboo  Chunder,  the  Hindu  owner  of  this 
beautiful  place,  was  of  a  progressive  spirit ;  and  as  he 


252  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

belield  the  elegance  and  comforts  enjoyed  by  the  Eu- 
ropeans, endeavored  to  obtain  equal  advantages  for 
himself,  and  by  his  example  to  induce  his  people  to  en- 
joy them.  Being  scrupulously  exact  in  fulfilling  all 
the  observances  of  the  Hindu  laws,  he  was  thus  above 
reproach.  With  a  strength  of  will  and  clearness  of 
intellect  rarely  surpassed,  he  devoted  his  wealth  and 
influence  to  the  amelioration  of  his  fellows  and  the 
elevation  of  the  people  of  India.  It  was  in  his  house 
that  Morgan  had  for  the  first  time  witnessed  the  act- 
ing of  the  beautiful  nautclmee  ;  and  now,  having  re- 
turned to  Bombay,  he  sought  the  elegant  mansion,  to 
pay  his  respects  to  the  people  who  had  treated  him  so 
kindly. 

Morgan's  mind  was  recalling  with  great  pleasure 
the  lovely  daughter  of  Baboo  Chunder.  Dasee  was 
one  of  the  rarest  maidens  of  India,  the  pride  of  her 
father's  house,  the  light  of  the  zenana,  and  the  envy 
of  all  the  maidens  of  Malabar  Hill.  The  zenana  in 
Chunder's  house  was  not  at  all  like  the  zenanas  of  the 
ordinary  Hindu  homes.  It  was  above  spacious  gar- 
dens, with  a  wealth  of  scenery  from  its  broad,  hand- 
somely carved  windows  and  balconies  unsurpassed  in 
Bombay.  The  view  stretched  over  the  city,  over  the 
bay,  and  to  the  distant  inland  shores,  with  their  fringes 
of  green,  and  the  high  hills  beyond  covered  with 
blooming  verdure. 

In  this  zenana  there  was  no  exclusion  of  light,  fresh 
air,  and  freedom,  but  the  broadest  privileges.  The 


DASEE.  253 

rooms  were  furnished  with  handsome  rugs,  works  of 
art,  and  with  the  best  literature  of  all  ages  and  na- 
tions. Here  Dasee  reigned  as  a  queen.  Her  beauty 
of  person  and  grace  of  motion  were  in  harmony  with 
her  surroundings.  She  seemed  to  be  fitted  perfectly 
to  the  elegance,  wealth,  and  culture  with  which 
her  father  had  surrounded  her.  The  piano  in  her 
boudoir  often  gave  evidence  of  her  skill  in  music, 
and  the  comments  found  here  and  there  on  the  mar- 
gins of  English,  American,  French,  German,  and 
Hindu  books  in  the  library  showed  the  wide  extent  of 
her  reading  and  the  analytical  skill  with  which  she 
weighed  the  thoughts  of  the  learned  writers.  Morgan 
had  been  attracted  by  her  brightness,  and  through 
her  courtesy  he  learned  that  some  zenanas  in  India 
were  the  equals  of  the  most  palatial  homes  in  America. 
When  Morgan  reached  the  mansion  he  sent  in  his 
card,  and  was  received  in  the  spacious  parlor  looking 
out  upon  the  ocean.  A  Hindu  woman  came  to  meet 
him,  whom  he  recognized  as  Dasee's  attendant,  and  he 
quickly  saw  that  her  face  was  disturbed  by  some  great 
sorrow.  The  tears  had  been  freely  flowing,  and  had 
left  their  traces  upon  the  cheeks  of  the  expressive 
face.  As  Morgan  listened,  the  woman  told  of  the 
grief  that  had  come  to  their  house.  Baboo  Chunder 
was  dead.  He  had  died  suddenly.  In  usual  health 
in  the  morning,  he  had  kissed  his  daughter  and  had 
gone  to  his  business.  Before  noon  his  lifeless  body 
was  returned  to  his  home.  There  was  a  great  funeral, 


254:  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHSTEE. 

and  the  body  was  consumed  upon  a  funeral  pyre, 
built  of  the  most  precious  aromatic  woods.  His 
daughter  had  laid  many  valuable  jewels  upon  the 
altar  in  his  favorite  temple,  and  mourned  his  loss  with 
all  the  grief  of  her  first  sorrow  or  stroke  of  mis- 
fortune. 

This  was  only  the  beginning  of  their  troubles,  and 
the  light  of  the  house  was  in  gloom  and  in  danger  of 
being  quenched.  Baboo  Chunder  was  a  high-caste 
Hindu,  zealous  for  the  customs  of  his  people.  AVhen 
Dasee  was  nine  years  of  age,  according  to  the  custom, 
he  married  her  to  a  youth  just  twice  her  age,  the  son 
of  a  Hindu  equal  in  caste  and  clan,  and  having  such 
advantages  as  would  give  promise  of  a  suitable  and 
prosperous  union.  The  horoscopes  were  declared 
propitious,  the  Brahman  priests  encouraged  it,  and  it 
received  the  approval  of  the  people  generally. 

One  condition,  however,  was  exacted,  which  was 
that  Dasee  should  remain  in  her  father's  house,  and 
that  the  youth  should  also  dwell  there  and  be  educated 
by  Baboo  Chunder,  until  Dasee  reached  her  develop- 
ment and  was  of  a  suitable  age  to  be  given  to  him. 
These  conditions  were  agreed  to,  and  the  marriage 
took  place.  Dasee  had  never  seen  the  youth  before. 
She  knew  nothing  of  the  serious  nature  of  the  mar- 
riage. She  had  no  choice  in  it,  but,  like  any  girl  of 
her  age,  enjoyed  the  display,  the  revelry,  and  the  feast- 
ings  attending  it. 

But  the  conditions  were  at  ,once  violated.      The 


DASEK.  255 

parents  of  tlie  young  man  removed  from  Bombay  to 
Benares,  and  took  their  son  with  them.  They  de- 
manded possession  of  Dasee,  but  this  her  father  pos- 
itively denied  them,  and  in  his  own  house  gave  her 
the  most  thorough  education  that  the  learned  pundits 
could  impart  to  her.  Day  by  day  she  grew  in  grace, 
beauty,  and  in  the  powers  of  intellect.  Sanskrit  was 
her  delight.  She  inherited  her  father's  rare  intel- 
lectual powers  and  poetic  love  of  all  that  was  beauti- 
ful, and  under  the  guidance  of  the  pundits  became 
the  favorite  of  the  most  learned  circle  in  Bombay. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  youth  to  whom  she  was 
married,  filled  with  arrogance  because  of  his  spotless 
pedigree,  vainly  glorying  in  the  sacred  thread  pro- 
claiming his  caste,  followed  in  the  way  of  his  fathers 
in  sacrificing  every  thing  to  preserve  inviolate  that 
caste  distinction.  lie  had  no  taste  for  literary  studies, 
and,  ignorant  <jf  the  advantages  of  culture,  grew  up  a 
narrow-minded,  bigoted,  heartless  man.  He  was 
proud  of  his  caste,  his  poverty,  his  few  wants. 
Boorish  in  manners  and  vacant  in  thought,  he  gazed 
with  supreme  admiration  upon  the  filthy  fakirs  as  his 
models  of  the  true  kind  of  a  life,  and  accepted  with 
equal  pleasure  the  adulation  of  the  people  of  lower 
castes.  His  idea  of  wives  and  of  women  in  general 
was  the  common  one  among  his  fellows.  They  were 
only  to  serve  their  husbands,  to  eat  what  he  left  on  his 
plate,  to  stand  behind  him  and  brush  the  flies  away  so 
that  they  should  not  touch  his  sacred  body,  to  submit  to 


256  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

whatever  request  he  might  make,  or  give  instant  obe- 
dience to  his  commands.  All  their  blessedness  was 
to  be  in  serving  him,  and  if  they  violated  his  least 
command  they  were  eternally  shut  out  from  heaven. 
His  smile  could  unlock  heaven,  and  his  frown  close  it 
forever  against  them.  Such  were  Ins  thoughts,  and 
his  pride  rose  higher  and  higher  as  he  contemplated 
the  time  when  he  could  command  the  obedience  of 
the  lovely  Dasee. 

Many  times  he  sent  demands  that  she  be  given  to 
him,  but  Baboo  Chunder,  watching  how  he  had  been 
trained,  refused,  and  contemplated  with  horror  putting 
his  daughter,  accustomed  only  to  love,  gentleness,  and 
refinement,  into  the  hands  of  such  a  cruel  fanatic. 
The  subject  was  never  mentioned  to  his  daughter, 
and  only  a  dim  recollection  of  it  remained  in  her 
mind.  She  had  seen  her  husband  but  once — that  was 
the  time  of  the  marriage — and  since  then  all  her 
thoughts  had  turned  in  other  directions.  It  was  im- 
possible for  the  youth  or  his  parents  to  obtain  her 
while  Chunder  stood  in  the  way  ;  but  he  died.  Im- 
mediately after  her  father's  funeral  the  husband  ap- 
peared and  claimed  his  wife. 

Dasee  was  appalled.  She  did  not  know  the  man, 
neither  did  she  wish  to  know  him  after  giving  one 
glance  at  his  brutal  face,  marked  by  ignorance  and 
selfishness.  She  had  no  love  for  him,  and  it  would 
be  impossible  for  her  to  ever  learn  to  love  him.  To 
be  the  slave  of  such  a  man  was  worse  than  death.  It 


DASEE.  257 

shocked  every  conception  she  entertained  of  purity 
and  refinement.  She  felt  that  she  could  not  leave  her 
beautiful  home  and  live  in  a  mud  cottage,  to  spread 
co\v  ordure  on  the  walls  once  a  week  and  in  the  yard 
about  the  cottage  every  day.  Thus  to  consecrate  her 
life  to  the  one  thing  of  serving  such  an  ignoramus  ! 
But  he  was  inflexible.  He  did  not  care  for  gold  nor 
jewels;  he  despised  them,  Nothing  would  satisfy 
him  but  possession  of  the  maiden.  The  laws  of  Mann 
said,  "  Whatever  be  the  qualities  of  the  man  with  whom 
a  woman  is  united  in  lawful  marriage,  such  qualities 
even  she  assumes,  like  a  river  united  with  the  ocean." 
The  recollection  of  this  law  filled  her  soul  with 
dread.  As  she  looked  at  him  she  asked  herself,  in 
horror,  if  she  conld  ever  sink  so  low  as  to  be  known 
by  the  possession  of  such  infamous  and  despicable 
qualities.  She  pleaded  for  release  or  for  compromise, 
but  he  was  deaf  to  all  pleadings.  With  lordly  pride 
he  commanded  her  to  obey  him.  Then  she  refused, 
positively  and  finally.  His  friends  advised  him  to 
carry  the  matter  to  the  courts.  lie  did  so,  and  the 
courts  were  compelled  to  decide  according  to  the  law. 
The  law  was  in  his  favor,  and  the  common  prison  was 
the  only  alternative  to  obedience.  The  judges  said 
Dasee  must  go  either  with  her  husband  or  to  the 
prison.  With  calm  resignation,  such  as  touched  all 
hearts,  Dasee  replied  to  the  judges,  "  Send  me  to 
prison  if  you  will ;  I  shall  never  go  with  that  man  as 

his  wife." 
17 


258  ^NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

The  decision  had  been  rendered,  the  judgment  pro- 
nounced, and  Dasee  \vas  at  once  led  to  prison.  O 
what  a  change  from  the  sweet,  pure  air  on  Malabar 
Hill,  where  loving  thought  and  wealth  had  sur- 
rounded her  with  every  luxury,  to  the  narrow,  bare 
cell,  with  the  worst  of  convicts  and  criminals,  the 
lowest  and  vilest  wretches,  with  their  curses  and  vile 
shouts  ringing  in  the  air !  But  terrible  as  this  was, 
she  felt  safe  from  defilement.  Within  her  cell  she 
could  be  true  to  her  ideal  of  pure  womanhood.  Brave 
in  heart,  she  resisted  all  the  efforts  of  the  cruel  mon- 
ster to  possess  her,  and  in  devotions  daily  fortified  her 
honorable  soul. 

The  hot  days  of  summer  came — the  season  in  which 
she  had  always  gone  to  the  mountains  to  escape  the 
oppressive  heat.  Morgan  was  with  the  missionaries 
at  Nynee  Tal,  but  Dasee  was  still  in  the  prison.  How 
long  could  she  endure  it  ? 

As  Morgan  listened  to  this  story  of  his  lovely  friend 
he  was  inexpressibly  shocked,  and  he  went  from  the 
house  asking  himself,  "  Is  there  not  some  way  to  save 
Dasee  from  this  awful  calamity  ? " 


VICTORY  IN  DEATH.  259 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

VICTORY    IN    DEATH. 

MORGAN  was  hastening  toward  the  hotel,  when 
lie  saw  before  him  the  smiling  face  of  the  trusty 
Irishman. 

"  Hello,  Dennis  !  Is  that  you  ? "  he  said  ;  and 
Dennis,  looking  at  him  a  moment,  grasped  the  out- 
stretched hand  as  he  replied  :  "  Be  me  sowl,  an'  this  is 
Mister  Morgan  ;  but  I  would  not  'a'  known  yez  for 
the  distrestful  look  upon  your  face.  But  cheer  up, 
for  the  ladies  are  here  in  Bombay,  an'  safe  at  that ; 
an',  what  is  more,  Mister  Morgan,  they  are  achen  all 
over  to  see  yez.  Sure  an'  'tis  myself  that  is  the  happy 
man  to  lead  yez  to  thirn." 

Morgan  was  delighted  with  the  success  that  at- 
tended Dennis's  efforts,  and,  after  going  to  his  hotel, 
followed  him  to  the  cottage  where  the  maidens  were 
temporarily  living. 

His  meeting  the  women  whom  he  had  so  greatly 
befriended  was  the  most  awkward  moment  of  his  life. 
How  to  salute  them  he  did  not  know,  neither  did  they, 
and  if  it  had  not  been  for  Dennis  no  one  can  tell 
what  mistakes  might  have  been  made  ;  but  the  jolly 
Irishman  began  to  express  pleasure  enough  for  the 
entire  party.  His  wit  set  them  all  a-laughing,  and 


260  NKMORAMA  THK  NAUTCHNEE. 

the  laughter  hid  the  embarrassment  they  all  felt. 
Then  it  became  necessary  for  each  one  to  know  the 
experiences  of  the  other,  and  the  day  wore  away. 
Morgan  could  not  think  of  leaving  until  a  dish  of 
curry  was  disposed  of,  and  then  Nemorama  somehow 
held  him  until  the  stars  were  brightly  shining  above 
them.  When  he  did  return  to  his  hotel  he  knew  not 
which  was  greater,  his  happiness  in  seeing  Nemorama 
or  his  sorrow  over  the  calamities  that  had  befallen 
Dasee. 

The  next  morning  he  hastened  to  the  cottage  to 
instruct  Dennis  to  leave  Bombay  immediately  with 
the  ladies,  and  go  to  the  mountain  home  of  Captain 
Grey,  for  the  cholera  had  broken  out  in  the  city,  and 
before  many  days  every  cottage  on  the  mountains 
would  be  occupied  by  the  people  fleeing  from  the 
awful  scourge.  After  seeing  them  depart  for  the 
mountains,  Morgan  began  his  efforts  for  the  release 
of  Dasee. 

,  The  European  residents  of  Bombay  were  unani- 
mous in  condemnation  of  the  'law,  and  their  ardent 
sympathies  were  aroused  in  behalf  of  the  maiden, 
whom  many  of  them  knew  and  loved  so  well.  They 
pleaded  with  the  judges  to  mitigate  the  sentence,  but 
they  found  themselves  opposed  by  the  iron  hand  of 
custom  and  the  firm  hand  of  the  law. 

The  Hindus  of  Bombay  sided  with  the  husband. 
They  claimed  that  he  had  the  right  to  his  wife,  and 
the  most  terrible  consequences  would  befall  her  if 


VICTORY  IN  DEATH.  2G1 

she  did  not  submit  to  his  commands.  She  should 
honor  him  because  of  the  purity  of  his  caste,  and  her 
rebellion  was  because  her  father  had  trained  her  in 
the  luxuries  of  the  English,  and  apart  from  the  cus- 
toms of  her  people.  The  Hindus,  therefore,  besought 
the  judges  to  let  the  law  take  its  course,  and  the 
refractory  maiden  be  fully  punished.  Thus  Morgan 
found  that  he  could  do  nothing,  and  that  the  very 
features  of  the  maiden's  life  that  aroused  his  compas- 
sion had  the  opposite  effect  upon  the  Hindus.  Tier 
conduct  was  subversive  of  all  their  customs. 

Meanwhile  the  cholera  spread  rapidly.  In  the 
densely  populated  districts  of  the  city  its  ravages 
were  terrible,  and  a  sort  of  gloom  seemed  to  settle 
upon  the  people.  Crime  increased  in  the  infected 
districts,  and  the  officers  of  the  law  had  their  hands 
full  in  trying  to  preserve  peace  and  order  among 
the  people  in  the  slums.  Deprived  of  exercise  and 
proper  food  and  air,  Daseo  was  growing  physically 
weaker  and  weaker.  Evidently  the  seeds  of  disease 
were  fastening  upon  "her  system,  but  her  clear,  noble 
countenance  was  growing  serener  and  more  spiritual 
day  by  day.  She  cast  off  her  Hindu  faith  when  she 
entered  the  prison.  The  words  of  Jesus  stored  in 
her  mind  now  proved  to  be  a  treasury  of  delight. 
The  contemplation  of  the  rewards  God  bestowed  upon 
the  faithful  filled  her  soul  with  rapture.  As  the 
ravages  of  the  cholera  increased,  and  crime  with  it, 
the  prison  became  overcrowded.  The  fiith  and  vile- 


262  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

ness  brought  within  the  gates  was  horrible,  and  Dasee 
often  felt  faint  as,  from  the  language  used  by  these 
wretches,  she  learned  how  low  human  beings  could 
descend.  These  wretches  from  the  cholera-stricken 
slums  not  only  brought  their  cursings,  but  also  the 
cholera,  and  it  began  to  rage  within  the  prison.  O, 
what  a  place  the  prison  then  became !  The  curses  of 
the  imprisoned  wretches,  the  shrieks  of  the  manacled, 
the  cries  of  those  who  were  attacked  by  the  dreaded 
disease,  and  the  heavy  measured  tramp  of  the  guards 
bringing  in  the  criminals  and  carrying  out  the  dead 
kept  up  the  constant  excitement.  The  air  of  the 
prison  was  laden  with  the  stench  of  the  wretches, 
which  no  amount  of  cleansing  could  remove.  Forced 
to  breathe  such  an  atmosphere,  the  maiden,  unusually 
susceptible  to  disease  germs  because  of  her  feeble 
condition,  became  a  victim,  and,  after  a  few  hours  of 
intense  suffering,  died.  When  she  died  she  was  alone. 
To  the  prison  officials  she  was  no  more  than  any 
other  prisoner.  They  did  not  know  nor  care  about 
her  crime.  Without  tender  hands  to  serve  her  in 
her  need,  or  gentle  words  of  love  whispered  in  her 
ear,  or  sympathetic  friends  to  weep  at  her  sufferings, 
drawn  up  with  pain  and  in  awful  agony,  she  gasped 
out  her  last  breathings,  and  only  when  the  warden 
came  with  the  scanty  portion  of  food  daily  given  her 
was  her  death  known. 

Tramp,  tramp,  tramp,  came  the  guards  and  stood 
by  the  prison   doors,  while   other  prisoners   rudely 


ix  DKATII.  263 

dragged  the  bodies  of  the  dead  out  of  the  gate,  and 
threw  them  in  a  heap  on  the  dead-cart.  The  body  of 
the  beautiful  Dasee  was  served  the  same  as  the  vilest 
wretches,  and  the  cart,  full  of  corpses,  was  sent  to  the 
burning  ghaut,  where  the  bodies  of  brutal  criminal 
and  the  gentle  maiden  were  together  consumed,  and 
the  ashes  left  to  be  the  sport  of  the  wind  and  the 
weather.  When  the  news  of  her  death  was  made 
known,  Morgan  again  left  Bombay,  and  followed  his 
wards  up  the  mountain-sides. 

Captain  Grey's  head-quarters  were  in  an  old  Mah- 
ratta  fortress  situated  on  the  top  of  one  of  the  lofty 
round-top  hills  of  the  Western  Ghauts. 

It  was  a  place  famous  for  being  the  field  of  some 
of  Sejani's  brilliant  exploits,  and  the  whole  surround- 
ing country  was  awake  to  traditions  of  the  skill  and 
valor  displayed  by  that  wonderful  chieftain  in  de- 
fending the  mountain  districts  against  the  Mohammed- 
an invaders  under  the  celebrated  Mogul  Aurnngzebe. 
Romance  took  the  place  of  history,  and  the  wildest 
tales  of  adventure  and  of  love  were  related  in  the 
zenanas,  with  Sejani  as  the  captivating  and  ever-suc- 
cessful hero.  The  place  given  to  Captain  Grey  was 
on  the  upper  side  of  a  precipitous  hill,  rendering  the 
fort  almost  impregnable.  So  thought  Sejani's  foes 
when  they  possessed  it.  But  he  climbed  the  dizzy 
height,  fastened  a  rope-ladder  to  the  top  ledge,  and, 
going  down  the  rope,  commanded  his  followers  to 
climb  the  rope  and  capture  the  fortress.  The  first 


264  NKMOfiAMA    THE  jSTAUTCHNEE. 

man  refused  the  hazardous  undertaking,  and  Sejani 
immediately  plunged  his  dagger  into  the  man's  heart. 
Without  a  word  the  rest  of  his  men  obeyed,  and 
the  surprised  garrison  awoke  only  to  die  ;  and  thus 
his  enemies  learned  that  no  place  was  impregnable 
when  Sejani  attacked  it.  Kow  in  English  hands,  the 
old  fortress  was  changed  into  comfortable  barracks ; 
the  science  of  defense  was  applied  to  strengthen  the 
place,  so  that  if  war  should  again  break  out  in  India 
not  even  the  skill  of  a  Sejani  would  be  able  to  wrest 
the  fortress  from  its  English  defenders.  Under  the 
shadow  of  the  fort  was  established  a  hospital,  and  the 
grounds  about  the  buildings  were  made  as  attractive 
as  the  skill  of  English  gardeners  using  the  flora  of 
that  part  of  India  could  make  them. 

The  frequent  spectacle  of  invalid  soldiers  resting 
beneath  the  shady  trees  or  walking  along  paths  bor- 
dered by  fragrant,  blooming  bushes  gave  evidence  of 
the  value  of  this  mountain  sanitarium  to  the  brave 
men  who  held  India  in  subjection  to  the  highest  type 
of  European  civilization.  The  hospital  was  located 
here  because  of  the  purity  of  the  atmosphere  and  the 
refreshing  coolness  while  the  cities  in  the  lowlands 
were  sweltering  in  heat.  It  was  far  above  the  line  of 
fevers  and  cholera  and  the  various  diseases  peculiar 
in  India.  Here  men  became  strong  again,  and  real- 
ized the  pleasure  of  living  where  nature  contrib- 
uted to  her  fullest  measure  in  supplying  the  bless- 
ings of  life.  The  place  had  been  accidentally  dis- 


VICTORY  IN  DEATH. 

covered  by  an  English  officer  when  on  a  hunting 
expedition. 

As  the  beauties  of  the  place  burst  unexpectedly 
upon  his  view,  he  stopped  to  examine  the  various  feat- 
ures it  presented,  and  became  enraptured  with  the  ex- 
cellences of  its  atmosphere  and  surroundings.  Be- 
low, all  along  the  road  leading  to  it — a  road  passing 
yawning  chasms  and  bridging  rushing  streams — were 
numbers  of  Hindu  temples,  many  of  them  in  ruins. 

In  the  older  days,  before  the  English  came,  this 
road  was  a  highway  for  pilgrims,  such  as  pious  Hin- 
dus, learned  Brahmans,  and  sacred  fakirs,  who  located 
themselves  by  these  chasms  or  behind  the  jutting 
crags,  and  received  the  adoration  of  the  common  peo- 
ple, who  toiled  up  the  steep  mountain  to  their  sacred 
cloisters.  Here,  also,  in  the  more  secluded  spots, 
apart  from  the  din  and  frivolity  of  the  world,  men 
consecrated  themselves  to  the  study  of  the  sacred 
Vedas,  and  sought  to  sever  their  affections  from  the 
world,  that  they  might  be  endowed  with  keenes 
spiritual  illumination.  But  the  hermits  retired  into 
deeper  solitudes  when  the  sacredness  of  their  resorts 
was  broken  into  by  the  unscrupulous  curiosity  of  ad- 
venturous foreigners.  They  left  their  temples  to  fall 
into  decay,  while  in  the  depths  of  the  mountains  or 
at  the  head  fountains  of  sacred  streams  the  holy  men 
in  poverty  re-established  themselves,  and,  with  a 
power  they  never  lost,  still  attracted  the  ambitious 
youths  of  Hindu  households. 


266^  NEMOKAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

It  was  along  this  road  tliat  Dennis  led  the  M'omen, 
not  now  carried  in  palanquins,  but  walking,  for  they 
left  the  city  in  haste. 

Dennis  knew  the  road  well,  and  many  a  merry  tale 
he  told  them  of  the  battles  along  the  road  between 
the  servants  of  the  various  temples  in  their  efforts  to 
win  the  pilgrims  passing  by.  When  they  arrived 
near  the  hospital — a  place  generally  shunned  by  the 
Hindus — they  found  a  cottage  which  would  answer 
their  purposes  very  well,  and  here,  for  a  small  rental, 
they  established  themselves,  Dennis  going  up  to  the 
fortress  to  serve  the  captain,  as  he  had  been  accustomed 
to  doing. 

It  was  in  this  cottage  that.  Morgan  found  them  as 
he  came  up  the  road,  followed  by  hundreds  of  Euro- 
peans fleeing  from  Bombay  until  the  cholera  season 
should  pass  away.  As  he  looked  into  their  bright, 
happy  faces,  he  felt  repaid  for  all  that  he  had  done  for 
them,  and  with  the  promise  to  visit  them  on  the  mor- 
row, continued  his  journey  up  the  hill  to  the  grim 
old  fortress  which  guaranteed  security  to  them  all. 


A  HINDU'S  LOVE.  267 


CHAPTER  XX\rI. 

A    HINDU'S  LOVE. 

EDWARD  MORGAN  was  cordially  greeted  by  Captain 
Grey,  and  at  once  installed  in  one  of  the  best  rooms  in 
the  fortress.  There,  as  every- where,  army  officers  in 
their  permanent  quarters  lived  in  luxury.  With  plenty 
of  male  servants  to  do  their  bidding,  the  government 
to  pay  the  bills,  discipline  exacting  from  every  one  a 
rigid  observance  of  the  military  code,  and  not  too 
much  to  do,  they  had  every  opportunity  for  enjoying 
a  life  suitable  to  their  occupation. 

Morgan  was  charmed  with  the  scenery  from  the 
ramparts  of  the  fortress.  Back  of  them  for  a  great 
distance  tops  of  scores  of  hills  were  seen,  peaks  of 
every  form  and  size,  separated  by  deep  ravines,  inter- 
spersed here  and  there  by  graceful  water-falls,  where 
the  mountain  streams  forced  their  way  from  one 
ravine  down  to  another.  In  front  of  them  they  be- 
held hill-side  and  plain  ;  great  groves  of  lofty  palms ; 
forests  of  delicate  cypress ;  orchards  of  peaches  and 
other  luscious  fruits,  gardens  of  coffee,  tea,  cinchona, 
and  other  cultivated  shrubs ;  little  villages  here  and 
there;  temples  rose  every-where.  Beyond  all,  under 
a  haze  or  vapor  which  seemed  to  be  floating  in  the 
air,  giving  it  a  blue  color,  rolled  the  distant  and  lim- 


268  XEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

itless  sea.  Morgan,  looking  along  the  winding  road, 
could  plainly  see  the  cottage  occupied  by  his  friends, 
and  he  felt  that  from  this  place  the  course  they  were 
to  pursue  in  the  future  must  be  marked  out. 

As  they  were  talking  about  the  strange  life  of  the 
people  of  India,  with  its  many  mysteries  and  contra- 
dictions, the  captain  related  to  his  guests  the  story  * 
of  one  whom  he  had  seen  but  a  few  days  before : 

"  On  one  of  the  hills  we  can  see  from  the  summit 
of  our  fortress  stands  the  temple  of  Khandoba,  the 
warrior-god  of  the  ancient  Mahrattas.  This  temple 
is  served  by  many  girls  or  young  women.  One  of  the 
beautiful  priestesses  of  the  temple  fell  in  love  with  a 
young  Mahratta  noble.  She  was  heart-broken  when 
his  visits  suddenly  ceased,  and  she  sent  a  message  by 
a  sudra,  a  male  attendant  serving  the  temple,  to  her 
lover,  assuring  him  of  her  deep  love  for  him,  and  her 
desire  to  escape  from  the  temple  and  serve  him  even 
as  a  slave  in  his  household. 

"The  sudra  was  also  in  love  with  the  girl,  and  in- 
stead of  delivering  her  message,  he  told  her  falsely 
that  her  lover  had  advised  her  to  be  happy  where  the 
gods'had  placed  her.  He  hoped  to  gain  her  for  him- 
self. The  following  morning  the  girl  was  missed, 
and  on  the  next  day  her  body,  all  crushed  and 
mangled,  was  found  at  the  foot  of  a  precipice  called 

*  This  story  is  given  in  the  book  Life  and  Travels  in  India,  by 
Anna  H.  Leonowens.  It  is  given  here  to  illustrate  a  phase  of  Hindu 
character  needed  to  complete  one's  understanding  of  that  wonderful 
people. 


A  HINDU'S  LOVE.  269 

Dewanee-garh,  lier  lota  or  drinking-vessel  still  tied 
to  her  neck.  Months  after  the  Mahratta  noble  came 
again  to  the  temple,  and  learned  the  sad  fate  of 
the  girl.  He  had  not  deserted  her,  but  had  gone  on 
a  sacred  pilgrimage  to  Benares,  and  had  just  re- 
turned, lie  was  so  affected  by  the  story  of  her  death 
that  he  took  the  battered  lota  in  his  hands  and  swore 
to  perform  the  '  Gala  Naik,'  the  severest  course  of 
asceticism  known  among  the  Hindus.  He  went  to  the 

O 

edge  of  the  precipice  from  which  the  girl  had  flung 
herself,  and  there  he  stood,  with  his  head  thrown  back, 
gazing  at  the  sun  and  holding  the  lota  in  his  hand. 

"The  priestesses  pitied  him  and  took  him.  food, 
and  there  he  stood  until  reason  gave  way.  Since 
then  he  remains  part  of  the  time  perched  on  the 
verge  of  the  precipice,  other  times  wandering  on  the 
hill-side,  but  always  holding  in  his  hand  the  battered 
lota. 

"When  I  saw  him  the  other  day  his  long  hair, 
partly  gray,  hung  in  masses  on  his  shoulders ;  his 
hands  and  feet,  with  nails  like  talons,  looked  like  huge 
claws ;  his  body  was  emaciated,  and  as  we  approached 
he  fled  to  the  edge  of  the  precipice.  He  was  con- 
stantly muttering  to  himself  and  twirling  his  be- 
loved's battered  lota.  It  was  a  remarkable  exhibition 
of  the  force  of  love  in  the  heart  of  a  Mahratta." 

"Do  you  think  it  is  rare,"  asked  Morgan,  "to  find 
such  strength  of  affection  in  the  hearts  of  the  people 
of  India?" 


270  J^EMORAMA    THE    NAUTCHNEE. 

"•No,  I  think  not,"  replied  the  captain  ;  "in  fact,  I 
think  it  quite  common.  We  strangers  from  a  colder 
climate,  and  a  life  which  requires  all  of  our  time  and 
faculties  to  get  along  in  the  world,  do  not  understand 
how  all  the  energies  of  this  people  are  given  to  the 
training  of  the  affections.  I  only  realized  it  when  I 
saw  the  devotion  of  my  own  dear  Hindu  wife.  She 
had  a  power  of  loving  never  surpassed  in  this  world, 
and  it  kindled  within  me  such  flames  of  love  that 
every  thought  of  her  is  precious  to  me  even  after  the 
many  years  of  her  death.  I  smile  sometimes  at 
Dennis  because  of  his  antics  prompted  by  his  love 
for  Kismut,  but  I  am  sure,  if  he  once  wins  her  love, 
he  will  never  be  unhappy  when  she  is  by  his  side ; 
she  will  give  him  a  wealth  of  affection  that  will  bring 
blessedness  into  his  life  every  day.  O,  how  I  miss 
my  lost  loved  one  !  " 

The  captain  then  relapsed  into  silence  for  a  while, 
and  Morgan  sat  by  his  side,  unwilling  to  break  into 
his  revery  of  grief.  At  length  the  captain  said : 
"  Morgan,  let  me  tell  you  my  story,  and  you  will  see 
why  I  so  often  lapse  into  silence  or  walk  away  from 
the  jestings  of  my  comrades.  I  came  to  India  before 
the  mutiny  of  1857,  and  was  established  along  the 
Ganges  in  command  of  a  regiment  of  Sepoys.  While 
there  I  became  intimate  with  a  Brahman  whose  sons' 
were  in  my  command.  Of  course,  as  a  foreigner,  I 
could  not  meet  them  in  social  life,  but  I  often  saw 
their  little  sister,  a  beautiful  child,  then  not  old 


A  HINDU'S  LOVE.  271 

enough  to  leave  home  for  married  life.  When  the 
mutiny  broke  out  the  father  and  sons  fell,  and  I  took 
the  maiden  with  me,  for  she  seemed  at  that  time  to 
have  no  one  to  care  for  her.  I  was  attracted  by  her 
marvelous  beauty,  and  as  she  grew  older  this  beauty 
increased.  As  she  grew  to  womanhood  I  taught  her, 
and  with  ready  capacity  she  learned  until  she  knew 
as  much  as  I  did.  Then  1  found  myself  unable  to 
resist  her  charms,  and  with  her  full  consent  made  her 
my  wife.  I  then  learned  the  depth  of  the  affection 
a  Hindu  woman  is  capable  of  bestowing  upon  her 
beloved,  and  my  life  was  one  continual  gleam  of  sun- 
shine. Whenever  she  looked  at  me  the  love-light 
flashed  in  her  eyes.  She  was  constantly  studying 
how  to  please  me  by  little  surprises,  and  when  she 
saw  me  look  back  to  her  with  love,  she  would  sing 
and  coo  about  me  as  if  she  knew  nothing  but  love. 
She  would  not  allow  any  other  hand  than  her  own  to 
prepare  my  food,  and  it  was  always  as  choice  as  it 
could  be  made.  Her  caresses,  her  sweet  words,  her 
gentle  sympathies,  were  the  charm  of  life  to  me. 

One  day  a  little  daughter  came  to  us,  and  then  our 
love  was  centered  upon  it ;  yet  we  loved  each  other 
none  the  less.  The  little  child  strongly  resembled  its 
mother,  and  in  infantile  manners  seemed  to  catch  her 
ways.  One  day — O,  sad  day  to  me ! — I  was  ordered 
to  report  at  Calcutta.  With  fond' kisses  and  promises 
of  a  speedy  return,  I  bade  them  farewell  and  departed. 
I  hurried  my  return,  and  hastily  leaving  the  rail- 


272  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

road  station,  I  rushed  to  my  cottage,  but  it  was  empty. 
What  did  it  mean?  I  went  to  my  head-quarters,  and 
there  I  was  told  my  beloved  wife  had  suddenly  died 
and  my  child  had  disappeared.  I  made  every  effort 
to  find  my  child  and  to  discover  the  cause  of  my 
beloved's  death,  but  all  in  vain.  Then  I  asked  to  be 
relieved  of  my  command.  When  the  cause  of  my 
request  was  known  I  was  sent  to  China  with  Gordon, 
and  from  there  I  went  to  Egypt,  but  my  heart  was  in 
India.  Unable  to  remain  away  any  longer,  I  asked 
to  be  returned  to  India,  and  here  Iain.  God  only 
knows  what  the  future  of  my  life  may  be,  but  when 
I  found  my  wife  dead  the  light  of  my  life  faded,  and 
the  only  spark  of  real  hope  left  is  that  I  may  yet 
find  a  trace  of  my  child." 

While  the  captain  was  speaking  his  guest  could 
hardly  retain  his  seat  or  suppress  his  emotions,  and 
at  the  close  he  said :  "  Captain  Grey,  believe  me, 
God  will  yet  bring  your  daughter  to  you.  He  will  not 
permit  such  faith  and  love  to  go  unrewarded." 

The  captain  merely  responded,  "  I  hope  so — I  hope 
so,"  and,  thanking  his  friend  for  his  sympathy,  retired 
to  his  room  to  prepare  for  the  usual  evening's  drill 
of  the  garrison  in  the  fortress. 

With  hurried  step  Morgan  went  down  to  the  cot- 
tage, and  long  before  he  reached  it  Nemorama  came 
out  to  meet  him.  O,  how  beautiful  she  looked  as  her 
eyes  sparkled  with  love  and  she  hastened  to  jclose  the 
door,  that  she  might  receive  his  fond  caresses  and  re- 


A  HINDU'S  LOVE. 

turn  them  in  like  fervor!  Looking  into  her  fond 
eyes,  lie  said  :  "  Would  my  beloved  be  happy  in 
seeing  her  own  real  father  ?"  Xemorama  instantly 
broke  away  from  his  embrace,  and  with  a  startled  air 
quickly  answered  :  '•  It  has  been  the  greatest  desire 
of  my  life.  1  have  thought  of  it  every  hour  since 
you  told  me  of  my  parentage.  And  now  I  see  by 
your  face  that  you  know  where  he  is.  O,  I  am  so 
happy  !  "Where  is  he  ?  shall  I,  O,  may  I  see  him  soon  ? " 

Then  Morgan  again  drew  her  to  him,  and  told  her 
what  he  had  just  learned.  The  news  was  too  good 
to  keep,  and  Kisnmt  was  called  in  from  the  next 
room,  and  in  her  loving,  quiet  way  was  soon  rejoicing 
with  them.  Xemorama  was  impatient  to  go  to  the  for- 
tress at  once,  but  Morgan  restrained  her,  for  he  was 
thinking  of  a  plan  by  which  he  might  have  the  rev- 
elation of  hope  fulfilled  burst  upon  the  captain  at 
once. 

After  the  parade  Dennis  came  down.  This  was 
his  usual  practice  now,  and  Kismut  was  never  surprised 
at  his  coming,  and  they  told  him  the  news  in  store  for 
his  master.  Dennis  was  very  dignified  when  he  came  in. 
He  always  was  so  just  after  the  parade,  but  he  became 
entirely  unconscious  of  self  while  the  story  was  being 
told  him.  His  face  grew  long,  then  it  broadened ;  he 
smiled  until  every  tooth  was  seen.  Then  the  flushes 
spread  and  tears  dropped  from  his  eyes.  He  uttered 
the  names  of  saints  and  all  manner  of  exclamations, 

and    finally    wound    up    his    strange    behavior    by 

18 


274  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

embracing  Morgan,  then  Kismut,  before  the  others. 
Respect  for  the  captain  and  for  Morgan  prevented 
him  from  serving  Nemoraina  in  the  same  way,  but 
lie  refrained,  and  bowed  low  at  her  feet.  He  promised 
to  keep  quiet,  however,  and  do  his  part  in  Morgan's 
plan  to  restore  the  daughter  to  her  loving  father. 


THE  LOST  FOUND.  275 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE  LOST  FOUND. 

THE  exodus  of  people  from  Bombay  was  filling 
every  cottage  on  the  mountains.  Many  of  the  peo- 
ple were  compelled  to  bring  tents,  which  they  pitched 
in  well-favored  places,  and  enjoyed  not  only  the 
change  of  climate  and  scenery,  but  also  the  change 
in  their  manner  of  living.  The  landscape  became 
very  attractive  with  the  thousands  of  white  tents  on 
knolls  and  crags  and  beside  the  flowing  streams. 

The  old  fortress  was  a  place  of  great  interest  to 
the  visitors,  and  they  never  wearied  of  hearing  the 
accounts  of  the  exploits  of  Sejani,  the  Mahratta 
hero.  Captain  Grey  was  a  typical  English  com- 
mander. He  carried  himself  with  great  dignity,  and 
had  every  thing  pertaining  to  garrison  work  attended 
to  with  precision.  He  was  just  the  kind  of  a  man  to 
lead  people  to  say  of  him,  "  That  man  would  die,  but 
would  not  surrender  ;  he  has  the  true  bull-dog  grit." 
What  would  they  have  thought  had  they  known 
how  his  heart  was  constantly  bleeding  because  of  the 
wounds  of  love? 

Morgan  had  learned  just  exactly  how  the  captain's 
wife  was  dressed  when  she  bade  him  farewell,  and  lie 
had  secured  for  Nemorama  an  exactly  similar  suit. 


276  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

When  slie  donned  it  Morgan  said  she  never  had  ap- 
peared lovelier — but  lie  made  the  same  remark  every 
day.  j^emorarna  showed  possession  of  English 
blood  by  the  impatience  with  which  she  awaited  the 
time  to  make  herself  known.  Kismut,  however,  full 
of  sympathy,  kept  her  mind  upon  trifles,  changes  of 
dress,  added  decorations  to  her  hair,  any  thing  to 
enable  her  to  pass  the  time  easily.  Dennis  had  re- 
turned to  the  fortress.  His  work  now  was  to  prepare 
the  way,  to  keep  off  intruders,  and  manage  the 
captain  should  any  trouble  arise. 

Captain  Grey  was  sitting  in  his  parlor  reading  the 
latest  arrival  of  the  London  Times.  His  room  was 
in  perfect  order — Dennis  always  kept  it  so.  Every 
book  was  in  its  proper  place  on  the  shelves,  the  chairs 
were  standing  in  their  places  as  regularly  as  pickets 
on  duty,  the  curtains  at  the  windows  were  drawn  just 
so  far,  to  the  half-inch,  and  the  covers  on  the  tables 
were  spread  so  that  the  corners  were  precisely  at  equal 
distances  from  the  floor. 

The  captain  dropped  the  paper  from  his^hand  and 
fell  to  musing  as  the  light  grew  dim  and  the  darkness 
slowly  came  on.  Dennis  did  not  hurry  with  the  lights. 
The  captain  was  fond  of  these  evening  musings.  It  was 
the  hour  when  his  thoughts  were  with  the  departed  one. 
His  conversation  with  Morgan  had  opened  the  wounds 
afresh,  and  as  the  twilight  faded  a  great  lonesomeness 
came  upon  him.  He  was  resting  his  head  upon  his 
hand  and  lost  in  thought  when  an  unusual  foot- 


THE  LOST  FOUND.  277 

step  was  heard  coming  into  the  room.  It  was  so 
soft,  so  gentle,  that  it  was  just  noticeable,  and  that 
was  all. 

The  captain  aroused  from  his  reverie.  He  knew  it 
was  a  child  or  a  woman's  step;  but  how  carne  either 
to  be  in  his  room  ?  He  looked  up  quickly,  then 
leaped  from  his  chair,  turned  pale,  and,  clasping  his 
hands  convulsively,  asked  the  intruder,  "  For  God's 
sake,  tell  me,  who  are  you  ?  Are  you  a  spirit,  or  do 
you  live  ? "  Then  he  passed  his  hands  to  his  head,  as 
if  in  doubt  whether  lie  was  in  command  of  his  senses 
or  not.  He  saw  before  him,  just  as  he  had  seen  her 
years  before,  his  beloved  wife — the  same  face,  the 
same  dress,  the  same  manner ;  and  before  the  strange 
visitant  could  utter  a  word  he  burst  into  tears. 

Then  Kemorama  quickly  advanced,  and  putting 
out  her  warm,  soft  hand  with  a  touch  that  thrilled 
him  through  and  through,  said,  "  Father,  I  am  your 
daughter.  Do  you  think  I  am  like  my  dear,  dead 
mother  ?  Am  I  so  much  like  her  that  you  thought  it 
was  her  spirit?  Won't  you  welcome  me,  father,  now 
that  we  have  found  each  other  ? "  Before  she  was 
done  speaking  he  had  folded  her  in  his  arms  and  was 
rapturously  embracing  her.  He  would  hold  her  off 
at  arm's-length  and  carefully  scan  her  features,  then 
with  a  cry  of  delight  draw  her  to  him  again.  Then, 
when  able  to  command  his  feelings,  he  drew  a  Chair 
beside  his  own.  and  bidding  her  be  seated,  asked  her 
to  tell  him  how  she  came  to  find  him. 


278  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCIINEE. 

Hour  after  hour  passed.  The  moon  on  her  solemn 
march  sent  her  beams  through  the  window,  lighting 
the  apartment  with  her  gentle  touch ;  and  the  father 
and  daughter  talked  of  all  the  past.  Both  were  inex- 
pressibly happy.  Neither  of  them  doubted  the  truth 
of  their  relationship ;  and  as  they  presented  to  each 
other  the  experiences  through  which  they  had  passed, 
they  rejoiced  in  the  wonderful  ways  by  which  divine 
Providence  had  led  them.  Nemorama  did  not  con- 
ceal her  love  for  her  preserver ;  and  Captain  Grey 
already  loved  Morgan  as  a  son. 

At  length  the  captain  touched  the  bell-cord,  and  in 
a  moment  Dennis,  with  his  face  radiant,  stood  before 
him.  In  another  moment  Morgan  and  Kismut  en- 
tered, and  the  circle  was  complete.  The  captain,  tak- 
ing Morgan's  hand,  said : 

u  My  dear  friend,  when  I  first  met  you  on  the 
steamer  coming  to  India  I  felt  a  strange  attraction  to 
you,  and  since  then  I  have  had  a  yearning  fondness 
for  you.  I  did  not  know  why.  I  was  even  surprised 
at  it.  But  now  it  is  all  clear.  You  have  been  the 
means  of  bringing  back  to  me  in  great  measure  my 
lost  joy.  In  perils  you  have  fought  your  way  for 
love's  dear  sake,  and  you  have  won  the  victory.  It  is 
my  first  glad  privilege  in  receiving  my  daughter  to 
bestow  her  upon  you.  May  she  make  you  as  happy 
as  her  mother  made  me  !  Only  of  one  thing  be  as- 
sured. I  shall  never  again  be  separated  from  my 
child.  Lost  once,  she  shall  not  be  lost  again  until 


THE  LOST  FOUND.  27i> 

the  time  comes  for  one  of  us  to  go  to  the  home  above, 
where  her  dear  mother  awaits  us." 

Then  he  turned  to  Dennis,  and,  while  the  faithful 
fellow  blubbered  like  a  child,  he  said  to  him  :  "  My 
true,  faithful  man,  always  ready  to  serve  me,  how 
can  I  repay  you  for  your  trustworthiness  in  all  things 
placed  in  your  hands?  You  are  like  a  son  to  me. 
Without  you  I  might  not  have  received  this  blessing, 
and  I  can  only  say  I  rejoice  in  your  service.  I  give 
you  my  confidence ;  and  as  you  take  Kismut  as  the 
4  darlint  of  yer  heart,'  rnay  God  bless  you  and  make 
both  of  you  to  be  supremely  happy." 

Then  Dennis  went  out,  and  in  a  few  moments  re- 
turned with  choice  refreshments ;  and  while  they  ate 
the  cake  and  drank  the  lemonade  they  joyfully  con- 
tinued their  touching  life-narratives.  It  was  nearly 
morning  when  they  parted,  but  no  one  was  allowed  to 
leave  the  fortress,  and  Dennis  had  made  abundant 
preparations  to  entertain  them  all. 

In  a  few  days  there  was  a  double  wedding,  and  the 
old  fortress  was  crowded  with  the  guests  who  came 
from  every  cottage,  nearly,  on  that  mountain  road. 
The  Hindus,  however,  would  have  nothing  to  do  with 
it.  They  abhorred  the  entire  affair  as  an  invention  of 
evil  ones.  It  was  true  both  maidens  had  once  been 
high  caste,  the  one  by  right  of  inheritance  and  faithful 
life,  the  other  by  maternal  inheritance  alone;  but 
botli  of  them  had  lost  caste  by  fellovvshiping  with  those 
who  were  not  of  their  caste,  and  also  by  failing  to 


280  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

maintain  the  acts  of  purification  demanded  by  their 
laws.  To  associate  with  them,  gifted  and  noble 
though  they  were,  would  have  been  constant  contami- 
nation and  a  denial  of  the  eternal,  binding  power  of 
their  religion.  The  one  hardship  the  women  had 
now  to  suffer  was  the  complete  isolation  from  their 
sister  Hindus.  On  the  other  hand,  a  new  field  for 
enjoyment  opened  before  them. 

Soon  every  English  household  in  Bombay,  as  well 
as  in  the  mountain  resorts,  knew  the  main  incidents 
in  the  lives  of  the  two  heroines,  who  were  lionized 
with  the  fullness  of  English  enthusiasm.  The  beauty 
of  Nemorama  became  the  subject  for  universal  praise, 
while  the  sweetness  of  disposition  manifested  by  Kis- 
mnt  won  a  place  in  every  heart.  They  had  no  time  to 
beAvail  separation  from  their  sisters  of  India  because 
of  the  demands  upon  their  time  by  their  newly  found 
sisters,  and  they  realized  that  the  liberty  of  the  new 
life  was  like  a  heaven  to  their  souls.  O,  how  pre- 
cious that  freedom  was  to  them  ! 

When  the  first  round  of  pleasure  was  ended,  the 
cholera  had  subsided  and  the  people  were  returning 
to  'their  homes  in  Bombay  >•  The  ladies  at  the  fortress 
began  to  consider  seriously  how  they  might  consecrate 
their  efforts  to  the  elevation  of  their  own  people. 
They  discovered  that  while  Hinduism  led  people  to 
be  selfish  in  their  duties,  Christianity  led  people  to  be 
liberal,  and  awakened  a  desire  within  the  heart  to 
bring  others  into  the  same  happy  condition. 


THE  LOST   Forxn.  281 

Mohammedanism  was  progressive,  and,  with  tre- 
mendous energy,  was  winning  converts  all  over 
India,  but  it  was  vastly  different  in  its  methods  and 
promises  from  Christianity. 

Mohammedanism  held  the  most  brilliant  promises 
before  men  of  the  gratification  of  every  form  of 
sensual  desire  in  the  other  world,  and  with  stirring 
force  appealed  to  the  unregenerate  and  selfish  natures 
of  men.  But.  Christianity  appealed  to  tbe  heart :  it 
elevated  the  ideas  of  men  ;  it  led  them  into  the  desire 
for  truth,  virtue,  and  goodness.  It  taught  men  how  to 
live  right  in  this  world,  and,  because  of  their  right 
living,  to  be  accepted  in  the  kingdom  of  righteous- 
ness and  dwell  with  their  Saviour  forever. 

Kismut  could  testify  that  her  allegiance  to  Christ 
did  not  antagonize  any  pure  or  virtuous  thought  she 
had  ever  known,  but  rather  that  it  strengthened  her 
desire  for  perfect  purity.  It  sustained  her  in  the  en- 
deavor to  be  faithful  in  all  the  obligations  of  life.  It 
filled  her  mind  with  brighter  ar.d  more  certain  assur- 
ances of  eternal  bliss,  and  it  filled  her  soul  with  a  joy 
that  was  a  perpetual  fountain,  and  not  subject  to  the 
smiles  or  the  frowns  of  any  man.  Beyond  this  it  led 
her  to  look  upon  all  women  as  sisters,  whatever  be 
their  caste  or  condition,  and  to  recognize  in  each  one 
an  immortal  human  soul. 

With  eager  haste  both  of  them  began  the  study  of 
the  English  language,  determined  to  be  able  to  read 
the  Bibles  of  the  English,  and  to  glean  from  them 


282  XEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

the  impressions  which  they  observed  in  the  conversa- 
tion of  those  who  surrounded  them. 

Day  by  day  they  were  taught  by  their  husbands, 
and,  with  their  minds  opened  by  love,  were  capable  of 
rapid  advancement.  Morgan  was  surprised  at  the 
capacity  for  learning  manifested  by  Nemorama.  She 
seemed  to  grasp  intuitively  the  ideas  he  presented, 
and  she  showed  an  eagerness  that  baffled  fatigue. 

He  now  brought  the  active  powers  of  his  trained 
mind  to  unfold  trutli  to  her,  but,  with  all  his  intelli- 
gence, he  found  an  inability  to  convey  certain  classes 
of  impressions.  Something  more  than  mere  knowl- 
edge was  required.  What  was  it  ?. 

As  he  pondered  this  question  the  fact  of  psycho- 
logical differences  between  the  sexes  became  the  plainer 
to  him,  and  the  conviction  arose  that  for  a  woman  to 
receive  a  thorough  training  of  her  mental  faculties 
she  must  be  taught  by  a  woman. 

What  an  argument  for  the  sustaining  of  woman's 
work  in  India  ! 

He  determined  to  test  the  matter  by  taking  the 
ladies  to  Agra  and  placing  them  for  a  time  under  the 
influence  of  Mrs.  Stanhope. 

When  he  mentioned  it  they  were  willing,  and  im- 
mediately began  their  preparations.  He  assured  them 
that  all  danger  was  now  over  :  that  neither  fakir  nor 
rajah  could  injure  them,  for  the  whole  power  of  En- 
gland would  be  used  to  defend  the  daughter  and  the 
wife  of  her  officers. 


CHANGING  SCENES.  283 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

CHANGING  SCENES. 

RETURNING  from  the  mountain  sanitarium,  the 
widow  of  Paul  Stanhope  laid  down  her  grief  at  the 
Master's  feet,  and  instead  took  up  the  work  which  he 
had  placed  before  her.  She  labored  with  an  energy 
that  was  sublime,  and  by  day  and  by  night  hearkened 
to  the  calls  of  the  poor  and  suffering.  While  giving 
them  healing  balms,  she  told  them  of  the  real  balm  of 
Grilead,  the  all-powerful  love  of  the  Saviour  of  sin- 
ners. The  work  grew  on  her  hands,  and  she  realized 
that  in  porportion  to  it  she  was  like  a  single  miner 
digging  away  at  the  base  of  a  mighty  mountain. 
Day  by  day  she  brought  out  precious  ore,  but  a  hun- 
dred thousand  workers  could  work  with  her  and  still 
the  great  mountain  would  remain,  so  vast  was  the  field. 

Then  she  thought  of  the  women  of  America,  thou- 
sands of  them  given  to  a  life  of  frivolity  because  there 
did  not  seem  to  be  any  cause  before  them  to  arouse 
and  employ  their  best  energies. 

O  the  blindness  of  the  women  of  America  !     God 

had  taught  them  the  sisterhood  of  the  race  ;  philology 

taught  them  the   close  sisterhood  of  the  women  in 

India  ;  commerce  taught  them  the  sisterhood  in  tastes 

.and  provided  the  means  of  ready  communication  ;  and 


284  XEMOKAMA  THE  XAUTCIINEE. 

religion  taught  them  the  will  of  their  Kedeemer  to 
accept  the  obligations  of  this  sisterhood  and  go  to  work 
to  cany  the  blessings  of  their  faith  and  the  freedom 
of  the  Gospel  to  them  all.  A  revival  of  the  mission- 
ary spirit  was  needed  in  America.  Such  a  revival 
would  be  beneh'cial  in  many  ways.  It  would  arouse 
the  people  to  a  sense  of  their  need  of  a  Saviour ;  it 
would  quicken  the  religious  energies  of  the  people 
accustomed  to  hearing  the  Gospel  ;  it  would  stimu- 
late all  manner  of  missionary  enterprise;  it  would 
open  the  windows  of  heaven  for  the  outpouring  of  the 
divine  blessing,  and  it  would  save  the  people  of  India. 
Such  were  the  thoughts  which  often  came  in  Mrs. 
Stanhope's  mind. 

Sometimes  she  wrote  long,  yearning,  appealing 
letters  home,  telling  the  story  of  India's  needs,  but 
she  spent  more  of  her  time  in  prayer  that  God  would 
open  the  way  before  her  to  do  his  urgent  work.  She 
constantly  met  grave  difficulties  ;  it  was  so  hard  to 
win  the  people  to  positive  action.  She  realized  that 
whenever  a  high  caste  woman  accepted  Christ  she 
was  thoroughly  ostracized  by  her  former  friends,  and 
all  she  could  call  friends  were  the  few  in  the  mission- 
ary compound.  Thus  every  high  caste  convert  be- 
came a  heroine  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  could  truly  say, 

"Xaked,  poor,  despised,  forsaken, 
Thou  from  hence  my  all  shall  be.'1 

It  became  to  them  a  new  life,  with  new  hopes,  new 
joys,  new  habits,  and  new  associations. 


CHANGING  SCEXK-.  285 

Pitied  or  despised  by  former  friends,  the  convert 
with  a  bleeding  heart  fled  to  Jesus  and  received  grace 
sufficient  for  ever}*  time  of  need.  One  of  the  most 
difficult  things  to  do  was  to  take  the  pariah  by  the 
hand  and  say  to  her  with  loving  kiss,  "  Thou  art  my 
sister.*' 

Yet  in  the  missionary  compound  there  was  not, 
there  could  not  be,  any  recognition  of  caste.  It  was 
fundamentally  opposed  by  all  the  doctrines  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  in  the  Scriptures  were  many  expressions 
of  the  Lord's  will  condemning  it. 

Converts  came  slowly,  and  mostly  from  the  pariahs 
or  low-castes,  and  the  very  successes  seemed  to  be 
barriers  in  the  way  of  winning  the  high  caste.  But 
the  faithful  missionary  pressed  on  her  way.  "When 
Morgan  arrived  at  the  compound  with  Isemorama 
and  Kismut  they  were  received  joyfully,  and  Morgan, 
with  gladness  in  his  heart,  saw  that  Mrs.  Stanhope 
looked  up  to  him  arid  loved  him  as  a  brother ;  and  as 
he  was  impressed  with  this,  he  vowed  to  his  own  soul 
and  to  God  that  in  all  things  he  would  be  a  faithful 
brother  to  her.  He  soon  learned  several  things  in  re- 
gard to  her  trials  and  duties.  First,  he  learned  that 
she  was  overworked,  and  if  she  continued  in  that 
way  she  would  soon  be  laid  in  the  ground  by  the  side 
of  her  husband.  Then  he  discovered  that  the  limited 
means  at  her  disposal  \vere  insufficient  to  enable 
her  to  carry  on  her  work,  except  at  a  constant  sacri- 
fice of  little  pleasures  greatly  needed  by  herself  as 


286  NEMORAMA  THE  NATJTCHNEE. 

recreation  and  stimulation.  Then  he  saw  that  she 
was  painfully  burdened  by  the  indifference  of  her 
sex  in  America  to  the  needs  of  missionary  work. 

She  was  toiling  with  strained  energies  while  they 
were  at  ease  in  Zion. 

He  thought,  "  The  missionary  leads  a  hard  life,  and 
when  the  people  at  home  fail  in  their  support  it  be- 
comes crushing."  His  coming  was  the  gleaming  of 
the  sunshine  to  her  wearied  soul,  and  she  yielded  to  his 
earnest  importunities  to  divide  her  time.  So  much 
for  work,  so  much  for  rest. 

Nemorama  and  Kismut  became  her  students,  and 
Morgan  was  soon  convinced  that  his  theory  was  cor- 
rect. They  learned  from  a  woman  phases  of  truth, 
ways  of  grasping  things,  methods  of  study,  and  illu- 
mination of  doctrines  such  as  he,  because  he  was  a 
man,  could  not  convey  to  them.  It  was  now  plain 
to  his  mind  that  the  theory  underlying  woman's  work 
in  India  for  woman  was  not  a  mistake,  but  a  great 
fact.  And  he  determined  to  consecrate  a  large  pro- 
portion of  his  income  to  sustaining  this  work. 
Every  day  he  drove  around  the  beautiful  gardens  of 
Agra,  accompanied  by  the  ladies,  and  the  bloorn 
gradually  came  to  the  cheeks  of  the  missionary,  and 
her  manners  became  sprightly  as  in  her  early  life. 
They  were  all  happy,  and  the  days  quickly  sped  away. 
One  day  a'  message  came  to  him,  telling  of  the 
illness  of  his  father,  and  bidding  him  hasten  his  re- 
turn. The  message  had  come  on  the  wings  of  the 


CHANGING  SCENES.  287 

telegraph,  and  only  a  few  hours  after  it  was  sent 
from  Xe\v  York  it  reached* him  in  Agra.  He  imme- 

O 

diatcly  telegraphed  to  Bombay  to  learn  the  time 
for  the  departure  of  the  next  steamer  for  En- 
gland. The  answer  came,  and  he  had  but  one  day 
more  to  spend  in  Agra.  Their  plans  were  soon 
made.  Ivismut  would  return  to  the  fortress.  The 
captain  would  meet  them  in  Bombay.  Mrs.  Stan- 
hope would  go  to  Bombay  to  see  them  off,  then  to 
the  fortress  for  a  rest  of  a  few  days,  and  Kemorarna 
would  accompany  her  husband  to  America.  One 
more  ride  to  the  Taj,  and  then  farewell.  As  they 
were  riding  along  a  group  of  people  by  the  road-side 
attracted  their  attention.  It  was  an  ordinary  spec- 
tacle. A  holy  fakir  was  sitting  at  his  devotions,  and 
the  passers-by  were  worshiping  him.  As  they  drew 
near  Morgan  glanced  at  the.  holy  man,  and  at. once 
recognized  his  deliverer. 

Stopping  his  horses  and  bidding  a  cooly  attend 
to  them,  he  leaped  to  the  ground  and  assisted  I^emo- 
rama  to  alight,  telling  her  as  he  did  so  that  this  holy  man 
had  been  the  means  of  restoring  her  to  her  father  and 
delivering  her  lover  from  prison.  With  their  usual 
courtesy  the  crowd  gave  way  before  the  white  gentle- 
man and  lady.  For  several  moments  no  motion  was 
made  by  the  fakir.  His  eyes  were  closed,  and  he  seemed 
to  be  as  fixed  as  a  statue.  Morgan  saw  hov  his  emacia- 
tion had  increased,  and  he  now  looked  like  a  living 
skeleton.  The  people  were  uttering  in  low  tones 


288  NEMORAMA  THE  NAUTCHNEE. 

their  admiration  of  the  exceedingly  holy  man,  and 
every  face  was  expressive  ©f  adoration. 

The  tears  flowed  down  Nemorama's  cheeks,  and  at 
length,  unable  to  further  control  her  emotion,  she 
knelt  in  front  of  him,  and  taking  hold  of  his  bony, 
claw-like  hand,  pressed  her  lips  to  it  again  and  again. 
It  was  a  strange  sight,  at  least  so  thought  a  company 
of  tourists  who.  passing  by,  stopped  to  observe  the 
scene.  Youth,  beauty,  and  grace  honoring  a  gross 
animal-like  form  of  a  man,  a  half-naked,  matted- 
haired,  starved,  unwashed,  insane-looking  being, 
while  the  American  husband  of  the  woman  stood 
calmly  looking  on.  Morgan  saw  no  impropriety  in 
it.  He  knew  the  fakir  was  thoroughly  sincere  in  his 
faith,  and  as  true  as  man  could  be.  As  he  watched 
his  wife  he  too  could  not  restrain  the  tears,  for  he 
thought  of  the  suffering  the  fakir  had  endured  in  or- 
der to  accomplish  the  generous  work  of  which  he,  a 
stranger,  had  reaped  the  benefit.  The  woman's  af- 
fection at  length  aroused  the  fakir,  and  opening  his 
eyes,  he  saw  the  party  before  him.  A  tender  smile 
broke  over  his  face,  and  taking  his  other  hand  from 
its  usual  place  of  repose,  placed  it  on  the  woman's 
head  and  blessed  her. 

The  crowd  of  Hindus  about  them  would  have 
given  all  they  were  worth  for  such  a  blessing,  and 
they  were  amazed  to  see  it  bestowed  upon  one  in.  the 
dress  of  a  foreigner.  The  fakir  then  motioned  Mor- 
gan to  approach,  and  when  he  had  come  to  him,  said, 


CHANGING  SCENES.  289 

as  he  took  from  his  matted  hair  two  bullets  and  handed 
them  to  him,  "  The  Mohammedan  thought  these 
were  mighty  charms,  and  hoped  by  possessing  them 
to  be  able  to  accomplish  all  he  desired,  lie  was 
patient,  and  succeeded  in  some  things,  but  I  met  him 
in  the  castle  cell  after  the  American  had  escaped  from 
prison  and  death.  We  fought  each  other  until  death 
seized  upon  him  ;  then  I  took  the  bullets  from  his 
hair  to  restore  them  to  their  owner.  The  gun  that  shot 
them  is  laid  up  as  a  trophy  in  the  rajah's  hunting 
castle.  The  stranger  is  brave  and  good,  and  has 
found  the  father  of  the  maiden,  and  has  made  her  his 
wife.  The  fakir  is  now  content,  his  life-work  is  done  ; 
he  will  henceforth  know  no  human  being,  but  while 
a  few  days  are  left  him  will  be  absorbed  with  thoughts 
of  Brahm.  Take  this  gem  :  whenever  you  look  upon  it, 
let  a  prayer  rise  from  your  heart  for  the  fakir  who 
never  lost  sight  of  you  when  you  were  working 
out  the  destiny  of  one  of  the  chosen  daughters  of  the 
Hindu  race." 

He  then  handed  Morgan  the  ruby  with  the  mys- 
tical letters  engraved  upon  it,  and  immediately  folding 
his  arms  again,  closed  his  eyes,  and  was  apparently 
unconscious  of  all  about  him. 

Morgan  helped  Xemorama  into  the  carriage,  and 
they  drove  on  to  the  Taj.  They  walked  through  the 
beautiful  gardens,  entered  the  charming  tomb,  lunched 
in  the  spacious  rest-house,  loitered  by  the  fuunatins, 

and  after  hours  of  feasting,  their  souls  with  the  beautv 
19 


290  NEHORAMA  THE  JSAUTCHNEE. 

about  them  re-entered  their  carriage,  and  quickly 
drove  toward  Agra.  As  they  passed  the  place  where 
they  had  seen  the  fakir,  they  looked  and  beheld  him 
still  there,  sitting  absolutely  motionless.  As  they 
continued  on  their  way,  Nemorama  said  to  her  com- 
panion, "  He  may  never  stir  again,  but  sit  there  in  that 
solemn  repose  until  life  departs  from  sheer  exhaus- 
tion, and  the  people  will  say  of  him,  '  The  holy  fakir 
has  gone  to  Brahm.' ': 

Early  the  next  morning  the  travelers  entered  the 
cars  to  hasten  to  Bombay.  They  stopped  in  the  city 
only  long  enough  to  make  a  few  purchases,  and  then 
hastened  to  the  steamer.  Captain  Grey  had  obtained 
leave  of  absence,  and  was  ready  to  accompany  them. 
The  parting  with  Dennis  was  a  severe  trial  to  him, 
they  had  been  companions  for  so  many  years.  Xem- 
orama  wept  as  she  embraced  Kismut  for  the  last 
time,  for  she  had  learned  to  love  her  more  than  any 
other  woman  in  India.  But  for  no  one  was  the  part- 
ing more  trying  than  for  Morgan  as  he  said  farewell  to 
Mrs.  Stanhope.  He  felt  as  if  a  part  of  his  life-work 
was  to  watch  over  her  and  aid  her  in  her  work.  But 
the  partings  were  soon  over,  and  the  great  vessel, 
amid  the  cheers  of  the  crowds  on  the  quay,  began  the 
voyage  to  England. 

In  thirty  days  the  travelers  reached  Xew  York. 
Edward  Morgan  arrived  at  home  in  time  to  present  his 
wife  to  his  father,  and  after  the  dying  man  had  care- 
fully scanned  her  countenance,  he  said  to  his  son, 


CHANGING  SCENKS.  291 

"  My  boy,  your  wife  is  beautiful  and  good  ;  she  will 
crown  your  life  with  happiness.  And  now  kneel,  both 
of  you,  and  receive  my  blessing  before  I  die."  As 
soon  as  the  funeral  was  over,  Nemorama  bent  her 
every  energy  to  learning  more  perfectly  the  English 
language,  determined,  when  she  mastered  it,  to  go 
forth  to  tell  the  women  of  America  publicly  and 
privately  of  the  sufferings  endured  by  the  women  of 
India  because  of  the  social  bondage  of  Brahmanism, 
and  to  urge  them  in  the  name  of  the  blessed  Saviour 
to  sustain  woman's  work  for  woman  •  in  India,  until 
every  zenana  should  be  opened  to  Christ  and  every 
bound  soul  be  made  free. 


THE  END 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

305  De  Neve  Drive  -  Parking  Lot  17  •  Box  951388 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA  90095-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library  from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


JAN  102005 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A  A      000024792    4 


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